Columbia University withdraws statement about Meles

[EEGA9]

Columbia University withdraws statement about Meles

September 15th, 2010 |

In announcing the invitation to Ethiopia’s brutal tyrant, Columbia University’s web had posted the following appalling statement on its web site:

"Under the seasoned governmental leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, now in his fourth term, and vision of the Tigrai Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) and Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), Ethiopia has made and continues to make progresses in many areas including in education, transportation, health and energy"

After being bombarded by angry Ethiopians yesterday, the university removed the statement and left only the following:


"An address by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi followed by a question and answer session with the audience"(read here)

Ethiopian Review has saved a screenshot of the University’s outrageous statement. Click here to read. Compare it with what is posted now.

Removing the statement is not enough. The University needs to investigate how such a blatantly false statement that is offensive to 80 million Ethiopians was posted on its web site to begin with.

Columbia University needs to also rescind its invitation to the tyrant.

Make your voice heard. Write or call:

Lee C. Bollinger, President, Columbia University
Phone: (212) 854-9970; Fax: (212) 854-9973
Email: officeofthepresident@columbia.edu

University Programs and Events
Office of the President
Columbia University in the City of New York
202 Low Library, 535 West 116th Street, New York, NY 10027

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear President Bollinger:

We are astounded to learn Columbia University has invited Meles Zenawi, a cruel dictator whose legacy is the repression of his own people to the World Leaders Forum as a keynote speaker on the topic of Ethiopia and African Leadership.

The Ethiopian-American Community and other advocates of human rights are outraged that Columbia University is willing to give a forum to the head of a repressive regime that has maladministered Ethiopia for the past 20years.

In the May 23, 2010 election, Meles Zenawi stifled all voices of freedom and declared a sham 99.6% victory that further de legitimized his brutal regime. In a May 25, 2010 statement, http://www.america.gov/st/democracyhrng ... 19123.html , National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said, “An environment conducive to free and fair elections was not in place even before election day.”

Five years earlier, he had thwarted the democratic aspirations of the people of Ethiopia and ordered the brutal massacre of over 193 unarmed peaceful protesters and jailed the entire opposition leadership and many of their supporters.

As the President of Columbia University and as a distinguished advocate of academic freedom, we acknowledge your right to invite speakers whom you believe will add to the academic experience of Columbia students. It is the essential element of American democracy and value system. We appreciate it and believe it is what makes America great.

But, neither freedom of speech nor academic freedom requires Columbia University to give its podium to a dictator who has actively and brutally suppressed academic freedom. On April 9, 1993, the Meles regime fired 42, some internationally acclaimed, professors from Addis Ababa University with negative implications for the university as well as the nation.

Using famine, illiteracy, and ethnic division as potent weapons, he has condemned a whole generation of Ethiopians to perpetual poverty and suffering. He has criminalized dissent and violently suppressed any threats to his despotic rule. He has sent to prison opposition party leaders, including the courageous political leader Judge Birtukan Mideksa, (the only woman political leader in Ethiopia). Journalists, and human rights activists are routinely jailed on trumped-up charges. In the name of bogus development, Meles Zenaw has embezzled international aid money and the country’s meager resources; and used land, jobs, and educational opportunities as tools of subjugation.

Does you University seriously believe that hearing the views of a brutal dictator sitting at the helm of a failed state would add to the “academic experience of your students”?

We respectfully request Columbia University to rescind the invitation to Meles Zenawi.

We also ask that you make a strong public statement against giving a podium to dictators like Meles Zenawi who are known for egregious human rights abuses and send a strong message to Ethiopians and all people suffering under the yoke of dictatorship .

We urge you to take this opportunity.

Sincerely,

Tel: +1-212-851-7421; Fax: +1-212-851-7410
Email: officeofthepresident@columbia.edu
Email: worldleaders@columbia.edu

[EEGA9]

Columbia a prestigious university should not be a podium for dictators like Meles.As Somalis from the Ogaden we should all send Columbia a letter of complaint about there decision to host a criminal who has committed crimes against humanity.Please pass the message to family and friends.


Asc.

Jaamacad ku taala Maraykanka oo ku taala magaalada caanka ah ee New york ayaa u fidisay Dhiigyacab meles Zenawi casuumad.waxay Jaamacadu u diyaarisay meles inuu meeshaas ka hadlo, kana war bixiyo wadanka uu hogaamiyo.Jaamacadan ayaa ah mid caan ka ah mareykanka qadiimina ah waana la yaab in ay ku dhaqaaqdo arintan, si kasta ha ahaate waxaa u gaynaya saan filayo aqoon-la'aan ay u leeyihiin dhiigyacab meles iyo dambiyada uu ka wado dhamaan dhulka geeska africa siiba dhulka somalida Ogadenia.waxaad isku daydaan qofkii kari kara inaad Jaamacada u dirtaan warqado ama taleephan aad ku wargalinaysaan arimaha meles ee saxda ah.Intaana ogeyna u sheega waad mahadsantihiin.Emailka iyo taleephanka Jamaacada korkuu ku qoran yahay.

[EEGA9]

“Columbia University expresses regret”


The following letter was sent to Ethiopian Review today by Robert Hornsby, Director of Media Relations, Columbia University:

from: Robert Hornsby
to: Elias Kifle

The longstanding editorial policy of the World Leaders Forum website has been to provide only the basic factual information about the name of speakers, their bios, date of events and, if provided, the title of remarks. The background information that was posted by staff about the Forum involving the Prime Minister of Ethiopia was obtained from the government’s Mission and was not properly cited as such. We regret that error.

It is not the policy of the World Leaders Forum to take editorial positions of the type inadvertently suggested by this unattributed text and, as is the case with all guest speakers on Columbia’s campus, Prime Minister Zenawi’s invitation to speak at Columbia does not constitute endorsement of his views or his nation’s policies.

Prime Minister Zenawi’s remarks will be followed by an open question and answer period with students and members of our university community. Because we insist that such an open exchange be part of World Leaders Forum events, foreign leaders visiting the University often are confronted with probing questions that they may not face in their home countries. Providing such a forum for debate of controversial ideas and issues is central to the University’s free speech values, its educational mission, and its role as a global center of learning.

Robert Hornsby
Director of Media Relations
Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Columbia University in the City of New York
Rm. 402 Low Library, Mail code 4321
535 West 116th Street
New York, NY 10027

p: 212-854-9752; f: 212-678-5573
e: r.hornsby@columbia.edu
www.columbia.edu/news

[EEGA9]

Excellent, I hope people turn up with some pressing questions if he turns up that is.

Where is NY, he needs to attend this meeting and hammer Meles?

[EEGA9]

September 17, 2010
Dr.Lee C. Bollinger, President, Columbia University
University Programs and Events
Office of the President
Columbia University in the City of New York
202 Low Library, 535 West 116th Street, New York, NY 10027
Email: officeofthepresident@columbia.edu

Dear President Bollinger, Mr. Stiglitz, respected faculty and students of the University of Columbia:

On behalf of the Ogaden population and concerned citizens of The United States, Resolve Ogaden Coalition would like to express our grave concern over the University of Columbia’s recent invitation to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to present the keynote address on the topic of Ethiopia and African leadership. In addition, Resolve Ogaden Coalition would like to bring to the University’s attention the inconceivable harm, injustice and hardship faced by the inhabitants of the Ogaden.

Although the university is free to invite who they please, it is important to note that by inviting a leader accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, the university does irreparable damage to its reputation, and brings into question its core values.

Situated in eastern Ethiopia, the Ogaden region is challenged by conflict and war between the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and the Ethiopian armed forces. In recent years the conflict in the Ogaden has escalated to unprecedented levels as it affects the lives of the civilian population and contributes to the endless suffering of millions. The escalation of violence is largely due to the Ethiopian governments “anti-insurgency” campaign which has been directed towards the civilian population as an approach against the ONLF, and their struggle for self determination.


Prime Minister Meles Zenawi obtained power in 1991, and over the years he has been accused of resorting to force to maintain his position. Unfortunately, this force has been heavily concentrated on the Ogaden region. According to numerous and credible humanitarian and human rights organizations such as Human Rights Watch, under the leadership of Zenawi, the Ethiopian armed forces perpetrated countless human rights abuses, war crimes and crimes against humanity that include, but are not limited to, mass detentions; rape; the destruction of property; mistreatment of detainees; force relocations; the deliberate deprivation of resources; and various genocidal acts the international community has yet to acknowledge or advocate against these crimes. Satellite images by the American Association for the Advancement of Science confirm reports that the Ethiopian military burned entire villages in remote areas of the Ogaden. Under the Rome Statute such actions are considered war crimes and crimes against humanity.

The systematic oppression and genocidal massacres occurring in the Ogaden region have gone unnoticed by the international community and prevented international relief organizations from providing medical and humanitarian aid to the millions who are affected by the conflict. This is largely due to the Ethiopian government’s decision to expel all humanitarian and human rights organizations from the region. The Red Cross, Doctors without Borders and Amnesty International have all been forced from the region after voicing numerous concerns over the human rights abuses in the Ogaden, leading many advocates of human rights to conclude that the Ethiopian government is indeed concealing its crimes in the Ogaden. Furthermore, the Ethiopian government has managed to establish Janjaweed like militias called Liyuu police that have been created solely to terrorize, intimidate and further destabilize the region.
Columbia University is a respected and an internationally recognized institution with a historical reputation of advocating against injustice, inhumanity, and oppression. It was among the first American universities to denounce the apartheid regime in South Africa, and has always been the first to advocate and promote human rights in many different regions and nations around the world. Hence, it is a fundamental and a moral obligation for the University of Columbia to act upon its governing principles and address the plight of the Ogaden people.

It is essential for the University to promote human rights in the Ogaden by sending a clear and unmistakable message to the Ethiopian government and the rest of the world that signifies the heinous human rights abuses and the prolonged conflict in the Ogaden will not be welcomed nor tolerated by the University. Finally, it is imperative to raise questions and challenge Prime Minister Meles Zenawi regarding the human rights violations committed against the inhabitants of the region by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF).

As advocates for human rights, we support the pursuit of justice, peace and self-determination in all parts of the world. Although we are sensitive to the University’s position and acknowledge that it is too late to withdraw its invitation, it is essential that the University of Columbia takes this opportunity to urge the Prime Minister to engage in comprehensive talks with the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) headed by Admiral Mohamed Omar Osman. Such talks could dramatically impact the dire humanitarian situation and could lead to the development of a just and lasting solution to the ongoing conflict in the Ogaden

Recognizing that the greatness of the United States is due to its commitment to freedom of speech and tolerance, Resolve Ogaden Coalition respectfully requests that representatives of our organization be permitted to partake in the event so that we can respectfully and peacefully address the Prime Minister. We believe Mediating between members of Resolve Ogaden Coalition and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is the first step the University can take to smooth the progress of peace and stability in the Ogaden region. We are confident once the invitation to engage in comprehensive peace talks with Admiral Mohamed Omar Osman of ONLF is extended to the Prime Minister; we will be a step closer to ending the suffering and bringing to fruition peace and democracy to the people of the Ogaden.
Lastly, we believe that safeguarding the dignity and core values of this great University is in the best interest of every student and faculty member, by granting our request and allowing us to be the voice for the millions of voiceless victims who have been silenced by years of conflict and suppression; you will succeed in doing so.

Thank you for your time and consideration of this request; we look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,
Resolve Ogaden Coalition
E-mail: resolveogaden@gmail.com Website:www.resolveogadencoalition.org

===============================================================
Resolve Ogaden Coalition is a national non-profit organization devoted to developing and maintaining a just and lasting solution to the long standing conflict in the Ogaden region through the implementation of comprehensive policies that ensure the development and protection of the socioeconomic, political, and human rights of the region.

[EEGA9]

Columbia Demonstration...Amharas and Somalis join hands to fight Meles , this is the new reality its a relationship of convenience.Meles displaced us but this is coming back to haunt him, he cant escape reer Ogadenia anywhere.

Today’s event at Columbia University was a huge disaster for Woyanne. In having Meles Zenawi invited to the University to give keynote address on African leadership, his supporters intended to revive his image that has been soiled with the blood of innocent Ethiopians and fraudulent elections. Instead, the Columbia invitation helped expose not only Meles, but also his backers, including a couple of American professors who like to kiss up to third world dictators.


As Ethiopians prepared to march to Columbia, the Woyanne-occupied Ethiopian mission in New York had worked full time to get as many supporters of Meles Zenawi as they could. They even had Solomon Tekalign flown all the way from Atlanta. Their effort did not bear fruit. In fact, it compounded the problem since no more than a couple of hodams participated in the pro-Meles demonstration, exposing his narrow support base. There were about 50 demonstrators, and 48 of them were Tigreans. It is reported that some of them were security guards who flew with Meles from Addis Ababa.

The fact that 99 percent of the pro-Meles demonstrators today were Tigreans doesn’t mean that all Tigreans support Woyanne. There might be more than 50 Tigreans who joined us at the anti-Woyanne demonstration, and some of the protest organizers themselves are Tigreans. What it shows is that Meles has no real support outside of the Tigrean ethnic group. Even among Tigreans, his support seems to be narrow. And hodams are not willing to show their face at a pro-Woyanne event after the August 3 Woyanne-sponsored demonstration fearing that their photos will be plastered all over the Internet again (see here).

To make up for their lack of number, the pro-Meles demonstrators brought a bunch of drums and were singing Tigrigna songs until they were drowned out by the over 700 pro-democracy protesters on the other side of the street.

The photo on the left shows Dr Awash Teklehaimanot and another Woyanne trying to relax near the Columbia campus after what turned out to be a disastrous day for them. Awash is thought to be the person who has worked behind the scene to have Columbia invite Meles. (More about Awash here)

Earlier, a Woyanne who was taunting and showing his middle finger to the protesters as he passed by in his car left with some water bottler marks.

A large number of Ogadenis joined their fellow Ethiopians at the demonstration. Ogaden is one of Ethiopia’s regions where the Meles regime has been committing genocide.

Some Eritreans carrying Eritrean flags also joined the protesters in a show of solidarity. They were cheerfully greeted.

What we have seen today is an encouraging development in the fight to save Ethiopia from the Woyanne cancer. Unity in action is producing result.