OPINION | Ethiopia’s despot goes hunting for billions in Copenhagen

Doug,

Stay out of our internal affairs. We can handle our own problems and we do not need your 'help'. Thanks but no thanks. You are nothing but a hired apologist and enablee for the terrorist ONLF. Ever since you posted a doctored picture of alledged torture in Ethiopia, you have lost any remaining credibility.

It disgusts me when westerners (read White folks) pose their nose in my country's business.

Meles Zenawi is despot, but he thinks he is a better tribal despot than the rest of African despots. That seems to be the qualifying factor to select him as a spokesperson of all African dictators by other tribal dictators.

People like Meles Zenawi don't care about their own people so they do not speak on their behalf. All their eyes are on a possible compensation money from the rest of the world to them or some carbon trading money to go to their coffers.

These are a new breed of despots who sale anything to amass money including the country they are currently milking. All the good farm lands in Ethiopia are currently in the process of being sold for food production to middle eastern kings to assure food security, mind you  not in hunger stricken Ethiopia, but the Middle east kingdoms.

This is written by a well informed person on situations in Ethiopia.

I guess it is hard for you to see a united Africa standing together to protect its interest. 

And I guess you are the smart and the casring one who knows what is good for Africa and the World and the rest of 5 African leaders do not know or care.

Pathetic.

we ethiopians been from the beging of world civilization and the only time westeners step in our poletics is when we do good! only now when ethiopia is one of  the FIVE(ACCORDING TO IMF) fastest economies in the world, yes you have some thing to complain but you have nothing when we were ruled for 17 years in marxicist dictator i know why we been beggers, but now i think you realized we are rapidly growing our economy  except global wormings challage done by china and the rich westners, please i know what you mean when you call our prime minister dictator, b/se he is to smart for your guys,there is no way he will kneel down for pappeting . so stop calling names my coutry and my prime minister. 

Here he comes again anther degenerate by the name Douglas McGill calling or democratic leader a despot. Hey Douglas U and your Amnesty international the so called human rights advocate and ur likes hate for democracy and human right respect to blossom in Ethiopia. u hate has no parallel even surpasses Mussolini's hate for Ethiopians independence. Thanks to God u do not command poison gas and weapon of mass destruction, like Mussolini they would have used it to obliterate the people of Ethiopia for standing up for democracy and for the respect of their rights   . Fortunately, the so called human rights advocate like Amnesty international and u have only   ur dysfunctional brain that spit poisons words perfected to use the cherished goal of humanity, human rights respect as raw material distorting  it and miss applying it against human rights achievement all over   for ur greed and careerist objective.

Listen Amnesty and Douglas McGill international, Ethiopians have rejected   ur exported "human rights respect"

Ur types are the main enemy of human rights not only in Ethiopia but also in ur own country and the world.

Stop using false hood and prostituting  human rights respect   to foment and create strife in Ethiopia   in for ur political agenda. 

 u trying to foment discourse and strife in our country  because   democratic election in Ethiopia is nearer . No more of ur machination  in the name of human rights respect and political prisoners 

Not the government Ethiopia but but we Ethiopians will fight all anti-ethiopian anti-democracy and anti-human rights respect in the ship clothing

Stop using false human rights respect propaganda against the cherished goal humanity' human right respect for ur political agenda 

Well said. I thank you very much on behalf of the voicless ethiopian people.

Here he comes again anther degenerate by the name Douglas McGill calling or democratic leader a despot. Hey Douglas U and your Amnesty international the so called human rights advocate and ur likes hate for democracy and human right respect to blossom in Ethiopia. u hate has no parallel even surpasses Mussolini's hate for Ethiopians independence. Thanks to God they do not command poison gas and weapon of mass destruction, like Mussolini u would have used it to obliterate the people of Ethiopia for standing up for democracy and for the respect of their rights   . Fortunately, the so called human rights advocate like Amnesty international and u have only   ur dysfunctional brain that spit poisons words perfected to use the cherished goal of humanity, human rights respect as raw material distorting  it and miss applying it against human rights achievement all over   for ur greed and careerist objective.

Listen Amnesty and Douglas McGill international, Ethiopians have rejected   ur exported "human rights respect"

Ur types are the main enemy of human rights not only in Ethiopia but also in ur own country and the world.

Stop using false hood and prostituting  human rights respect   to foment and create strife in Ethiopia   in for ur political agen

 u trying to foment discourse and strife in our country  because   democratic election in Ethiopia is nearer . No more of ur machination  in the name of human rights respect and political prisoners 

Not the government Ethiopia but but we Ethiopians will fight all anti-ethiopian anti-democracy and anti-human rights respect in the ship clothing

Stop using false human rights respect propaganda against the cherished goal humanity' human right respect for ur political agenda 

Thanks Doug,

You spoke my heart. You said all that is running in my head!

Thanks a lot

So sad to see Africa represented by such unwelcoming figure on the climate change debate.What Africa need now to harness a better and healthy environment is a change of governance.The priority agendum on the table shall be good governance and change of heads of states than change in climate! Almost all except few countries are brutally coercing their people.Please help this change　happen first!

Well this seems to be written by an enemy of Ethiopia I would say!! In the first place I dont think the writter of this article knows Ethiopia and its leader Meles Very well..... there has been a lot negative stuffs said about him before and will continue to be said by Enemys of Ethiopia ... all the asssertion that he is the worest dictater bla blas are all not true!!! let me tell you the fact that in Ethiopia today there is a better peace than the United states which invests a lot of money for its security than Ethiopia ...we even hear lots of negatives of your own president Barack Obama, it doesn't mean that we are all idiots to trust every article from an unknown puplisher on the web ..... if you really are a genuine person go to Ethiopia and look around what is going on there .. before you spat your poisonous words. I have to tell you that everything you said in your article is totally false and basless ...infact  world leaders know Meles very well....incase if you dont know Ethiopia is a seat of many Embassies from all over the world and I would say the world have a more than enough information about PM Meles and what is going on in Ethiopia so you just have wasted your time for putting this article. Nobody is gonna believe you!!! Think about your own credibility when you write stuffs like this....and more over who else is responsible to tell the truth about our own leader Meles??? you an enemy of ethiopia or we, genuine Ethiopans?? think about this too!! as far as we ethiopians are concerned we love Meles and he is taking the country to the right direction .. may God Bless him and his family!!

This is the first time I have ever seen any reporter reporting what exactly is happening in Ethiopia. As an immigrant form Ethiopia living in Minnesota, I feel like there is at least one reporter who understands what is really happening out there. I have always been questioning why US and other international communities support Meles dispite his human right abuse. Ethiopia is a Darfur that the rest of the world doesnt care about untill Meles finishes people of all ethnic group except his people (Tigreans). Good job on exposing the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!

dear editor,

this is outrageous!!! you just only expressed your anger on him and africans as a whole, rather than writing a better report based on a reality. You have no ground for your accusations. Infact you are so dissappointed about the whole idea of African collaboration. Rememer, he's a top african negotiator,which means he  represents 53 African nations. So Your anger is on whole africans, which made you write out of the context and used the tools you have to do a personal attack on him.JUST BE PROFESSIONAL. STICK TO THE TITEL.LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR ANGER!!!!

dear editor,

this is outrageous!!! you just only expressed your anger on him and africans as a whole, rather than writing a better report based on a reality. You have no ground for your accusations. Infact you are so dissappointed about the whole idea of African collaboration. Rememer, he's a top african negotiator,which means he  represents 53 African nations. So Your anger is on whole africans, which made you write out of the context and used the tools you have to do a personal attack on him.JUST BE PROFESSIONAL. STICK TO THE TITEL.LEARN HOW TO MANAGE YOUR ANGER!!!!

• I THINK THE WRITER COULD DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN COL.MENGISTU (FORMER RULER) AND CURRENT DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT OF PM MELES ZENAWE. I WOULD ADVICE HIM TO CHECK HIS FACTS BEFORE WRITING HIS DRAMATIC FICTIONS!! HONESTLY!

Doughglass,

Off your hand from the affair of Ethiopia. You crook. Who the hell do you think you are to talk about our most brilliant prime mnister like this?

bark bark for we know that an ever barking dog seldom bites

Doug McGill's continuing coverage of issues affecting the Horn of Africa as well as immigrants here in the Twin Cities provide a much needed perspective we seldom find in for-profit corporate media. Thanks for this important reminder as the world focuses on Copenhagen that we also pay attention to the credibility of the actors. However, it would be a shame if Africa's important voice was jeopardized by the messenger. Hopefully other voices from Africa will be raised on this crucial issue.

why can't the rest of the world notice the realities of Ethiopia?

The writer has researched extremely well the real reasons behind the famine and spotted the tyrant exactly. Our voice is heard well!!

Thank you very much for understanding of the suffering in Ethiopia. We beg you to say and write the truth.

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I hate meles but I think this is a western response to Africans rightfully asking for their share. After all the west has looted Africa for more money than what’s being asked so this crapy response is pure politics. You people don’t say anything when meles is doing negative things to the country just as long as he is protecting your interests but now you want talk because he is rightfully blaming you for the climate change that is occurring as a result of your industrialized countries. You must pay; you can keep your bread crumbs for your self time to PAY UP!

Meles Zenawi is one of the best leaders of Africa. You must be dreaming about your own attrocities against the indegenous people in the country now you call your own. You know next to nothing about Ethiopia other than the notorious few so-called diaspora you have collected in Minnesota tell you. These are power-thirsty war criminals or members of former governments who vociferously lament that they have lost power. These tribal patriarchs are no good to anyone, not even themselves. It seems you are hired to agitate for the anti-china cold war. Dear Westerners. Your time is up. Ethiopia under Meles will continue to go forward, while you and your likes continue to defame our PM with your lies and Jeremiad. Why Denmark does not kick him out? Think twice, you blithering id....., the Minister of 'Foreign Affairs personally invited Meles to join the meeting, just like he was also invited to G8 and G20 meetings. Why do you think that is? Do you really believe that all these Western countries admire Meles for his "genocidal" performance? Give me a break. Use your brain.

Dear Douglas,

Thank you very much for the work that you are doing, for the values you hold pertaining humanity and for your stance against dictotorship.

Best regards,

Jabessa

Dear Douglas,

Thank you very much for the work that you are doing, for the values you hold pertaining humanity and for your stance against dictotorship.

Best regards,

Jabessa

Dear MacGill, This is an awesome report. Although the world prefer to keep quite instead of holding Meles Zenawi accountable of his wrong deeds, some people like you are honest in exposing his true nature. He is a tyrant and should be banned from international travels leave alone representing Africa on serious matters like this.

Thanks for this wonderful analysis!!

It is sad to read such extemely one sided artice which looks like a commentary by the opposition figures who always come up with unfounded allegations. It is really shameful to write about an issue, blindly denying the posititves. After all, what is wrong if he askes the developed world to compensate Africa for what they have done? Can't you see things separately? The internal politics is one, the African matter is another. Don't put your silly premises to support your baseless arguments.

Mcgill,

You must be the most clueless incidental journalist I have ever seen. Where the hell did you get all those genocide charges? I know where you come from, you are the apologist of the muslim terorist groups like Alshebab and ONLF who are accusing the government on manufactured charges. Yes manufactured by idiots like you. If you don't know about African tribal and ethnic problems then go and read a book. What a jerk. I am not a supporter of the government but I hate neo coloonialist people like you more than any kind of government in Africa. Why don't you fascists and neo-colonialist thugs care more of your continent than of ours?   Tell me how much are the Saudis paying you?

Angelina

All the atrocities that are being committed by Meles are surfacing throughout the web but the west are putting a deaf ear. Although the list of his crimes are long, one of the key crimes for staying in power is by destroying the credibility of the opposition parties. The west seem to have decided to skirt the coming election since there seems to be no political party ready to take over. Ethiopia is heading for a crisis like Rwanda and the sad fact is that the west would say 'that's what we thought so' when it happens!

I think , Meles make a good job about climate change, bt Mr. Mcgill to shed

corocodile tears, because his land or western countries was asking to pay billions of dollars for poor countries. Mr Daoglas Mcgill please dont cry!!!!!!!!! 

This article is pure garbage!

is this a joke?

for the last many centuries, our own leaders like bush and others who financed genocide in the carribean, asia and africa are praised in global forums.

not to mention our financing of the israeli regime that has killed thousands of palestines. why should any israeli or other genocidal western leaders be praised when african dictators are not?

Let the african dictator get equal treatment like our western genocidal dictators.

Meles didn't come to power by coup nor by democratic election. He was a gorilla rebel leader and his side won the civil war. I guess there is a difference, well not really big, between coup and win a war.

• what a poor and uneducated analysis.The write is obviously is a very misguided or purposely is trying to change facts on the ground.
  I my self is a witness to the fact that all the lies told in this article are totally untrue.I came to america some 6 years ago.I am totally not affiliated with any poltical party but I am old enough what has been before in ethiopia and what is going on now.By no means it is perfect ,probably it far from perfect situation.But for a honest observer it doesn't take time to see that the country is moving in the right direction on every aspect.poltically although people call it divide and rule system what EPRDF brought is unpercedented in the history of eithiopia.In a country where a domination of ethinic group over the others have dominated for centuries ,the current goverment has applied a federal system where every minor or major ethnic group has a freedom to speak,work and learn in their own language.there are so many news papers and magazines published by the private companies.this is totally unheard of in ethiopia before.they openly crtisize and write about the PM.Well is not perfect ,but by most african new democracies standard it is one of the best.
  you mentioned that people come here running away from persecution.I can assure that 99.9 percent of all people living in america and europe are actually economic immigrant.The only way to get a green card after they come here is to claim that they are tortured back home.you can ask ethiopian and that is the fact.you will pay 1000 dollars to get illegal papers from the police and poltical parties which falsely shows that people are beated and arrested.when the west usually accuses the goverment of the crimes ,the goverment usually shows evidences that those people are usually living there peacfully and left the country legally.
  More that any thing else the author delibertely left out the economic progress this country has shown in the last 20 years.never in the history of ethiopia that so many roads ,schools,universties,colleges,hospitals ,clinics and power plants are built.the econmy as evidenced by imf has grown an average of 7 to 9 a year for the last ten years.health and education coverage has rocketed to the roof in the past 20 years.I may agree with the fact that meles is not your typical democratic guy but when i compare him with the other so called opposition parties his admnistration is the most efficient in the continent.you cannot blame the guy for the climate change.east africa especially ethiopian passes under the equator line so we are the worst affected by the climate change.the whole east africa is affected by this.More than 25 million people are angry.you want to blame the guy for every wrong thing that happened in this nation.I am surprised you didn't blame him for the financial cirsis that happend here in the US.
  Wheather you like it or not ,MELES is the MOST INNTLEGIENT LEADER africa ever have.
  I am proud of all the economic improvements that are made in the nation.
  GOD bless ethiopia. analysis"

I donot think you understand Ethiopia at all! Your article is full of unsubstantiated hearsay and false accusations. I do not suppoert Meles and I do have many grudges against him. But I donot think he is on eof the the worlds most dectator. Instead he is the one who removed the wolrlds most dectator. i.e mengistu. You talk about coup, again I dont think you know ower history well. Meles didnot took power by coup, his government is a result of 17 years of armed struggle against the then marxist gov. Are things good in Ethiopia? Not at all. Do we attribute all bad phenomenon to Meles? NO! There are somany parameters to our famine and democracy.Please do not poke your nose in something you do not understand well.

As a true repoter/ Journalist, most expect unbiased opinion from you. Your so-called sympathy towards Ethiopian people is not welcome by most Ethiopians and it is being used as a cover to spread your neo-colonialism ideologies that is deep rooted within you. Prime minster Meles Zenawi has done a lot for Ethiopians which you obviously ignored, every leader has his/her limitation and I can assure you being responsible for Genoside is not one Meles's shortcomings. You are simply misinforming your readers and doing an absolute injustice to all Africans, most are aware of his abilities, charisma and intelligence, for this reason, he is the leading spokes person for Africa. However, for people like you who want to see Africa in dreadful situations all the time, he is a nightmare. Just because he is demanding a reasonable compensation, you portray him to be a monster. How is it that you completely ignored the main reason why the world leaders are gathering in Copenhagen ? Do you know how Climate change is affecting Africa ? Do you understand the relationship between Poverty (hunger , famine) and war ? Do you know Climate Change is causing so much adversity to the farming industry ? How can you call Prime minster Meles Zenawi a hypocrite while some western countries including your own preach justice and Human right issues while they themselves causing injustice all over the world ?

How can you justify your biased article?  Please leave Africa to  Africans. If it wasn't for the involvement of the western world, Africa would have been in much better place. The scramble for our unlimited and abundant natural resources will continue by causing instability and war. Your article is a small element of that, the desire to see Africa in an unstable place. Whenever you see a leader that is strong and can stand up to the rest of the world through his diplomacy, you label him all sorts of names (dictator and such....). Most Africans are proud of the prime minister and what he is contributing to Africa and especially to Ethiopia.

 As a true repoter/ Journalist, most expect unbiased opinion from you. Your so-called sympathy towards Ethiopian people is not welcome by most Ethiopians and it is being used as a cover to spread your neo-colonialism ideologies that is deep rooted within you. Prime minster Meles Zenawi has done a lot for Ethiopians which you obviously ignored, every leader has his/her limitation and I can assure you being responsible for Genoside is not one Meles's shortcomings. You are simply misinforming your readers and doing an absolute injustice to all Africans, most are aware of his abilities, charisma and intelligence, for this reason, he is the leading spokes person for Africa. However, for people like you who want to see Africa in dreadful situations all the time, he is a nightmare. Just because he is demanding a reasonable compensation, you portray him to be a monster. How is it that you completely ignored the main reason why the world leaders are gathering in Copenhagen ? Do you know how Climate change is affecting Africa ? Do you understand the relationship between Poverty (hunger , famine) and war ? Do you know Climate Change is causing so much adversity to the farming industry ? How can you call Prime minster Meles Zenawi a hypocrite while some western countries including your own preach justice and Human right issues while they themselves causing injustice all over the world ?

How can you justify your biased article?  Please leave Africa to the Africans. If it wasn't for the involvement of the western world, Africa would have been in much better place. The scramble for our unlimited and abundant natural resources will continue by causing instability and war. Your article is a small element of that, the desire to see Africa in an unstable place. Whenever you see a leader that is strong and can stand up to the rest of the world through his diplomacy, you label him all sorts of names (dictator and such....). Most Africans are proud of the prime minister and what he is contributing to Africa and especially to Ethiopia.

Factoids and propoganda material can be collected from the Coffee houses and Chat shops in the Twin Cities. Every credible journalist knows better where she/he can gather true information and news. If you rely on your al-Shabab, ONLF and OLF unemployed friends to get African news, you mislead your readers and eventually you will damage the credibility of the news paper. Apparently, the African leaders have seen something in Meles Zenawi when they give him a chance to represent Africa. This happens for the first time in Africa. If you think that all African people, African Governments, and Pan-African institutions are clueless stupids to elect Meles, you might be the most enlightened person overall. We are sick and tired of hearing the same old song over and over again. Please show your facts!! Africa should be commended for having a common voice despite its multitude fragmenting problems. Meles is much more intellegent, farsighted and democratic than your leaders. I bet you!!

i love to read some of the comments which supposed to be the article... the article is sucked and should not get such a place in the media.... it is not descent analysis. it seems like the anger start to rise when good things start to emerge in ethiopia... i think we are better off now and if we keep fighting for a better ethiopia, we will come to the world stage with sustainable economy and political system... before starting to judge the sitting government who is administrating the country, calm down and work together. dividing the nation in to extreme dont help our land to be compitant, rather we will loose. such articles are a product of that mentality who dont like to c ethiopia grown.

so please stop spreading a cancer in to the ethiopian new journey of struggle to bring this country out of poverty. we need some one who can cooperate, not sitting aside and criticize... pm meles is just one guy who is working for this beloved country and we have to help him and others who engaged their life in this spectrum...

God bless Ethiopia...

This is the best report ever written that describes the African # 1 dictator. I wonder how he managed to grab the leadership role in this important discussion. Look at the air pollution in major cities in Ethiopia. It is caused by a greedy policy where the regime charges over 1000% on imported cars so that people are forced to buy extremely old cars with bad emissions. He has the audacity to represent Africa in the world environment forum? Where there is no clear environmental policy in Ethiopia. Meles is out to lecture the free world on issues as important as the environment?

Thank you Douglass for calling a spade a spade.....

Komatan komat kalalut gebto fifteftal (an Ethiopian proverb)

Doug!

what kind of cheap drug are you taking?

Look arround be serious

Why don't you talk about how your country has been raping and molesting other third world countries for the past 100 years? Report about what your government is doing to the innocent people of Afganistan and Iraq. You preach democracy and freedom but your ordering other nations what to do and how to run their country. Where is the freedom and liberty in that?????

Mr. Douglas

there is a message and a messanger, the messanger may not be an angel but how about the message, which in this case is the negative effect of global warming on Africa and Ethiopia. it appears you attack the messanger because you dont want to address the fact that the frequency of the drought in Ethiopia is increasing as the result of global warming. and the global warming is mainly caused by the west which you are protecting by going after a very venlerable messanger. that is not fair.

P.S. please stop insulting our inteligence by covering your intention by our feeling to Meles.

I found the article to be very comprehensive and it exposes facts to readers what exactly going on in present Ethiopia. A tyrrant is on power misleading the west. Awake

Now that you have received a great deal of comments telling you that you are on the wrong track, how about trying to find out the truth about Ethiopia and Meles Zenawi, the elected Prime Minister? Canada and Canadian jouralists used to be rather sober. i still think there are some still around. You have been duped and taken on a ride by some disenchanted people who are fishing in disturbed waters and as long as there jounalists like you, these lies will continue, not that it matters because your writings will not change an ioto in the dramatically fast temp of growth of Ethiopia. So, please get your facts right. Try to learn to tell the truth for a change. Try please.

meles zenawi is the best leader ethiopia gets in the last hundred years the writer scared of the message trying to attack the messanger western world ruin the enviorment still doing it they should compensate developing countries this is not melese idea this all african idea he is just a spokesperson africa should be compensate for a of lot things including meddling the in internal affairs and creating conflict like the writer is trying to do our economy is growing faster than any time in the country history democracy is not perfect but introduced and growing in its own pace infrastructure of the country is growing fastly giving hope for the future whatever the writer is saying is blunt lie.

You are just another right wing crazy. Let's not change the main focus, by directing into another subject. We all know Meles is a dictator, but the agenda of the summit is not about Meles, it is about climate change. Man made climate change is a real thing, and whether it is said by Meles or other, it is the poor African People who carry the burden. The Rich countries owe Africa more than Money; they owe them their life too.

thank you writer. Now ,after 18 years of suffering, at least we got a journalist who understands the sabotages of meles zenawi. i am not an oromo, but an Ethiopian living in minisota. You realy have collection of informaion and your analyisis about meles is quite right. Meles has no moral baisis for himself except doing what ever he could do to keep himself in power. The other day, when he gave interview to an ethiopia first journalist, he talked about morality as a message to the diaspora on what to do not to do. I was realy laghing from my heart. I am shure moral is not in his dictionary. He is a liar and we have been hearing his empty propoganda and promise, witnessing his cabinates and his corruption,killing and suffering of the ethiopian people. I am one of those people who started to believe that it is legitimate to use any force to get back ones own freedom. The other day he said it is imoral to send money back home and support freedom fighters while one is living out side the country. He is trying to do anything to stay in power and the ethiopian people should do anything to get their freedom.

For the first time, it seems the cry of Ethiopian is getting ears. Thank you Doug for exposing the day light fact which many westners do not want to see or hear. Ethiopia always stretch its hand to the creator.

Thos of you who commented against Doug, you are not new for us. We know you. You are protecting the dicator because you are shareholders. Otherwise a healthy person could not support blood thirsty dictator.

Thanks God. It seems you are replying to the sobber of the people of Ethiopia who is under the iron fist of the Mercenary Meles.

I believe journalism requires a balanced approach. This is more like a paid hit man acting on orders. How is it that a whole continent could trust his ability to represent it skillfully, courageously and honorably but you denigrate the choice.

The article told us much more on your person that on the subject you tried to discuss!