“when he stands on a street side and begs, he will refrain from his talk of the rights of the Oromo, and others will see him and also stop talking about Oromo rights"
Ms. Firehiwot Worqu , Ethiopian Air Lines Management, Executive officer.
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| Agent of suppression? |
After reading a letter of complain by Ethiopian Airlines employee On Gada.com and Oromia Affairs blogs, I was forced to write this article as an urgent call on Ethiopian Ailines international clients to be aware of the inhuman and unethical practice of this African carrier. If you are green, organic, and a person to who human suffering and injustice matters, Ethiopian Air Lines is not your choice
The story is about an ex-employee of Ethiopian Airlines. An Ethiopian and Oromo by ethnicity. Mr. Dirribi writes how Ethiopian Air Line management, against its own internal rules , procedures and the rights of citizens in that country, denied him severance pays and other benefits after he was released from detention.
Mr. Dirribi, a prisoner of conscience of Amnesty international, was detained simply for being an Oromo, his civic activities, and speaking for right of the disadvantage mass of Oromo people, an ethic group that makes more than 45% of the countries 90 million population. He was acquitted of all charges in 2007. After he was acquitted of all charges, Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) dismissed him from his position without any sufficient ground. Not only that he was refused rehire, and denied his severance and retirement packages, which he was entitled to for working with the company for over 20 years. This is indeed in conflict with what Ethiopian management try to portray to the outside world; an ethical company , an equal opportunity employer ,... the list goes on. Here are the links to Mr. Dirribi Bokku's letter.About Ethiopian Airlines
This is an airline headquartered on the ground of Bole International Airport, an Oromo land, wholly owned by Ethiopian government (EPRDF) and serves as the regimes as flag carrier. All successive governments( Hailaselasie, Mengistu and Meles Zenawi) have changed the flag that the airliner has to fly. Many people say King Hailsellasie envisioned the creation of the airliner to shake off the poverty stricken image of Ethiopia in 1945. Sadly after 65 years of operation, the company is still being used by successive regimes to suppress its own citizens. Former C.I.A head in Ethiopia, Paul B. Henze, who had been advisor of the current dictator Meles Zenawi, recognized Ethiopian Airline in 2000 as " one of the most profitable and reliable Airlines in the third world".
Legitimate grievance
Legitimate grievance
Oromo people have collective and legitimate grievance in Ethiopia. Problems that Mr. Dirribi suffered are shared by almost all Oromo nationalists in that country. It is not an isolated case. Oromos are marginalized in political, social and economic affairs of the country, be it in government institutions or multinational corporations like Ethiopian Air Lines. What Ethiopian Air Lines management did to Mr. Dirribi is simply a reflection of these wide spread marginalization of Oromos as a result of which they have raised arms against the Abyssinian occupying forces. The introductory quotation can help you imagine how Oromo nationals are treated by Abyssinian office holders.
GREEN and Corporate Social Responsibility Hoax
After presumably planting few trees in South nations and nationality, Ethiopian Airlines has nominated itself as Africa's greenest Air Line. Many people believe that this "GREEN" thing is only a marketing strategy, a fake image that the company want to show to the world, where in reality Ethiopian Airlines is far from sound ethical practices. While African carriers like Kenyan Air Lines have a long history of participating in local community initiatives in fighting poverty and protecting the environment, Ethiopian Air Lines excelled in deception strategy to woo clients. Any one who lives in Ethiopia knows that Ethiopian Airlines is poor performer when it comes to corporate social responsibility.
Ethiopian Air Lines management claim they plant one tree per passenger as a global fight on global warming. That is really commendable, if true. But I have reasons to say this is a hoax to cover their poor record of corporate social responsibility. Any private investigator will find that Ethiopian Air Lines did not take such significant initiatives in Ethiopia to fight global warming. It is also difficult to believe this claim when one looks at how the company treated its senior employee like Mr. Diribi. If this company cares about global warming( a global issue), it is logical to think that it also care about local problems, including issues raised by one of its employee, who served it for more than 20 years. It is difficult to believe Ethiopian Airlines care about global warming and its consequence on humanity when in reality it deliberately starve the family of one of his employee who served the company for more than 20 years, simply because he was a member of certain ethnic group.
While Ethiopian airlines brag of planting one tree per passenger they have flown, it is sad to see that the management is unconcerned about the person who served this organization for over 20 years. It is inhuman and racist to leave Mr. Dirribi and his family to starve. Denying him his severance pays after he was released from detention is nothing less than passing a death sentence on him and his family. Had this company lived to its claims of great ethical virtue, it was expected that they take care of the family of Mr. Dirribi while he was lungushing in detention, merely for being an Oromo and defending the right of Oromo people. What we observe here is rather a company punishing one powerless citizen by starvation, just like Ethiopian government who is starving millions who supported opposition political parties. The stand of Ethiopian government on dissents and that of Ethiopian Airlines is completely in agreement.
The following links are evidences that the inhuman TPLF regime use aid money for political suppression.
Regardless of Mr. Dirribi's political stance, is it ethical to deny him his reverence pay? Aparentely, one of Ethiopian Air Lines top management staff, Ms Firehiwot says Mr. Durribi desrves punishment. Reason, he was speaking for the right of the Oromo people. Mr Frehiwot said Dirribi will stop talking politics when he begin begging on the streets of Addis. That is if Ethiopian Air Lines refuse to pay any benefits to Mr. Dirribi, he will stop becoming nuisance to the ruling party. Why is Dirribi's political stance of any business of Ethiopian Airl lines?
Historically, Ethiopian air lines have a poor record of corporate social responsibility. Bole airport is built on Oromo land.Thousand Oromo farmers where displaced without compensation from the vast land where Ethiopia airlines operate two extensive parallel run ways, and built lavish offices infrastructure and hangars. This is a land from where those displaced families fed their children. Did Ethiopian Airlines provide job opportunity for the displaced? Did the airline pay compensation for the displaced?
Historical and intrinsic anti Oromo stance
Every four months, Ethiopian Air Lines publish its popular Selamta in-flight business magazine and published by Camerapix Magazines (UK) Ltd. I have read Salamata all my life , for the past 36 years and haven't come across a single publication that feature the culture, history and tradition of Oromo people. From what I have observed, Ethiopian Air Lines have a subtle policy of promoting Amahara culture, history and tradition only. There is no mention of Oromos Gada system, no mention of their indigenous religious practices, and nothing was written about the history of Oromo people. Tourist destinations in the Oromia region are seldom mentioned. It is always Axum , lalebela and Faseledes; destinations of Semitic origin. Neither does Selamta feature cultures of the South nations and nationality,and Ogadenia. There is no consideration for non Amaharic speakers.
You will be surprised that year after year Selamta present a typical Amahara or tigree culture. The music instruments are always begena, Kirar kebero and mesenqo. The food it present is always Injera. Cultural dresses are always ye Habesha Libsi. Under history, all the kings and leaders presnted are from Semitic lines. You may follow this link and read. http://www.selamta.net/history.htm
All tourist destination in Oromia are systematically avoided and omitted. http://www.selamta.net/travel.htm. The level of systematic marginalization is really amazing.
Selamta promotes every thing Habesh. Under the download link of Selamta webpage, one finds Amahric dictionary, Amaharic bible, Amaharic fonts, Amaharic literature and many other resources to promote Amaharic. of course there is no mention of Oromo dictionary or bible on this page.
Ethiopian Air lines is very aware that there are more than 45 million Oromos who speak Afan Oromo. The Air Lines have never thought of serving the locals in the langauage they speak. Oromo being the largest nation in the country, the company must be able to serve them in the language they speak. Ethiopian Air Lines imposed Amaharic on all nations in the empire simply because it protect the interest of colonial masters. There is no other explanation. The Airlines could at least publish flyers and flight sechdules in the language that the locals can understand. In Ethiopia , it is government policy that any business transaction carried in Oromia region respect the regions culture and promote thier cultural heritage. Ethiopian Airlines made no effort to promote the culture of Oromo people. It rather demoted our culture by marginalizing the Oromos from its promotions and services.
Legal action?
Many people ask if Mr. Dirribi has tried challenging Ethiopian Air Lines in the court of law. Can Mr. Dirribi take legal action and challenge Ethiopian Air Lines? In an international legal system yes, but it is unthinkable in Ethiopia. In the first place, Ethiopian Air Lines decision to punish Mr. Dirribi come from Ethiopian regime's top organ. In addition, the judiciary system in Ethiopia is full of TPLF cliques who serve the interest of the regime. What kind of justice can one demand from a regime who detain citizens simply for being a member of certain ethnic group and release them after making sure they have lost every thing they have worked for in life?
Boycott and further actions
Many Abyssinian brothers and sisters have an opinion that a call to boycott Ethiopian Air Lines by some Oromo nationalists is laughable. They argue that Oromos are too poor to afford ticket with Ethiopian airlines and affect the multi - billion dollar corporation who won three consecutive prizes as Africa's most profitable airliner. The irony shows not only that this Abyssinians fail to understand the grievance of Oromo people, but also that they are very much comfortable to see Oromo remain in poverty. The economic woo of Oromo people is simply due to a century old occupation and the marginalization Oromo nationals are suffering in the hands of these occupying forces. The root cause of our economic conditions can be traced very well to occupation of our lands and our country by the very people who are laughing at disadvantaged people.
Regardless of what these Abbyssinian brothers and sisters say, those of us who can afford an airplane thicket can make a choice. This is a choice that we make not to maliciously hurt the interest of others but to refuse to sustain machineries of injustice. It is also to show our support for those who are wronged by the business muscles of big corporates like Ethiopian Airlines and the brutal regime they serve. It could be true that our action may not have significant impact on these giant company financially, in the short run. Forty Five million Oromo nationals, if organized, will not fail to produce the desired impact on this company with no human face.
At this point in time, all Oromo nationals must spread the words that our people are suffering not only in the hands of TPLF in detention centers, but also in various business and government institutions in that nation. There are thousands of Dirribis there in Ethiopian Airlines who are suffering in silence. There millions of Dirribis through out Ethiopia who suffer marginalization and injustice at all levels. We must be able to resist these colonials repression in every possible ways.
As further steps of our resistance to these injustices, we demand Ethiopian Airlines:
- begin serving Oromo nationals in their own language (Afan Oromo) in all of its branches in Oromia
-give equal coverage of Oromia tourist distinations as it does for Lallibela, Axum and Gonder on its Selamta in-flight magazine
-stop subtle promotion of certain culture over others
-take visible corporate social responsibility steps that resonate with or is proportional to to its public relation ads.
“Justice will only exist where those not affected by injustice are filled with the same amount of indignation as those offended.”
- Plato (c.427 – 347 BC)
Free Oromia shall be a reality.
1 comment:
good points brother
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