Southern Ethiopia Regional Puppet President, Shiferaw Shugute is in a state of Turmoil as is his master Meles Zenawi--Yet Sidama remains without Representation!

By Kambata Xoola, July 14, 2008,

Sources from Sidama-land uncovered that Shiferaw Shugute, so called southern Ethiopia regional state's puppet president called Sidama elderly from all districts of the Sidama region, businessmen and intellectuals including two individuals from Diaspora who currently hold dual citizenship; for 'Development in Sidama' meeting held on the 6^th of July 2008 in Sidama capital, Awassa.. The theme of the said meeting according to the participants was that Shiferaw Shugute was trying to rally support for despotic Meles's regime under the pretext of Sidama development. He tried to lecture the Sidama people once again by telling them that, Meles is an angel sent by god to save the Sidama.

The said puppet regional president, who orders the killings, extrajudicial arrests, intimidations, suppressions and disappearances of the Sidama nationals to satisfy the politico-economic interests of Meles's Abyssinian colonisers; practically does nothing for the Sidama people-but invites national disgrace and utter embarrassments. According to this source, he attempted to talk about Sidama developments without saying any word about the fundamental problems that hinder the development of the region including Sidama's quest for regional autonomy for which many dozens of Sidama innocents have sacrificed their precious lives on May 24, 2002's Looqee massacre.

Shiferaw was and is the parts and parcels of the massacre of the Sidamas and cover ups in the aftermaths. However, without answering these burning issues, he tried to hoodwink the Sidamas as per the orders of his colonial masters such Meles Zenawi, Dr Kassu Ilala, the main architect, Hailemariam Desalegne, a Wolayita national who caused and continues to cause the destruction of the Sidama nation.    

However, the participants, in particular gallant Sidama elders confronted Shiferaw by raising various issues about the past, present and futurity of the Sidama nation's socio-cultural and politico-economic matters. The participants who were obliged to listen Shiferwaw's mantra have also discussed others several issues whether he answers or not to exploit the platform (as they can't hold such meetings unless the cadres called it) to trigger fear in the psych of this mindless pariah. The Sidama elderly emphatically condemned his actions that exposed the nation to the various calamities including abject poverty, famine, lack of public services such as health, education, transport and absence of infrastructures unlike other regions under Abyssinian empire.  

The source also emphasised that all participants have raised about the systematic  destruction of at a time that was the only viable Sidama development organisation, the 'SDP/SDC' which was pioneered and led by Sidama intellectuals (supported by Irish Aid); who were obliged to flee the country due to Shiferaw's and his federal criminal officials' persecution. Shiferaw mumbled attempting to give answer for this question-but in vain. Shiferaw once again shown that he can't answer such questions as the order of SDC destruction was systematically masterminded and passed over onto him by the aforementioned federal Meles's ministers who worked hard day and night in the past decade to deter any development activities; in particular that are owned and run by the Sidama nationals under whatsoever conditions.

The later, both criminals are also currently working on fermenting conflicts between peacefully co-existed and colonised nations of Sidama and Wolayta, Sidama and Oromo nationals to help the regime to stay on power using this divide and rule tactics.  All these politicians explicitly or implicitly have revealed that they don't want Sidama to exist as strong regional state. And they all masterminded the massacre of the Sidamas at Looqee village on above mentioned date. The SDC was the only Sidama organisation that constructed roads, Schools, health stations, health centres and dug water holes and latrines for the Sidama in the periods of between 1994/5-2002 until the Sidama massacre when the SDC pioneers made to flee the country. Nothing has been done ever since!  

The SDC was every thing for the Sidama nation during those golden eras. It has shown tremendous institutional capacity and organisational capability with scares resources it deployed under the leadership of truly dedicated Sidama intellectuals. Such determined actions substantiated with unity of purposes of those who were brought together from all over the Abyssinian Empire to build Sidama-land have significantly improved the lives of the Sidama people. It created viable means of communication including road constructions for some districts with limited human and financial privileges it possessed. At present time, all of the said developments are being incapacitated! However, the aforementioned achievements have infuriated Abyssinian tyrant rulers and decided to dismantle SDC and persecute its pioneers.  

And the SDC also created viable microfinance system that enables the society to deal with emerging national and global economic parameters that was aborted by Meles's regime. (Ironically, Meles has developed such system for his Tigray region in a well structured and sophisticated manner that continues receiving multi millions of dollars from his western sympathisers and funders). The Sidama elders asked what Shiferaw is doing about the systematic destruction of the SDC and lack of development activities in Sidama region in the past 17 years. He couldn't answer, but said that he is not the only responsible for all these-but all Sidamas. All participants laughed at him! Unlike other times, he is obliged to listen to all their complaints without threatening to arrest. Several participants believe that Shiferw's silence signals the looming danger that Meles's regime is facing and its inevitable debacle in the near future. 

The source also reported that the participants also condemned Shiferaw's actions that he deploys clan division methods to extend his rule at regional level presidency by creating animosity within the Sidama nation. He favours and appoints his clan or those who bow for him in almost all districts. In contrast, he arrests those who ask him about any thing under whatsoever condition to keep them for years without decisions. Intimidation, harassment and torture are rampant in addition to the ordeals Sidama nation receives from the Abyssinian colonial rulers.

Meanwhile, it has been reported that Meles's Abyssinian regime is under tremendous pressures resulted from serious divisions within itself. The internal sources from Addis Ababa disclosed that he is considering resignation due to various national and international pressures. According to this source, Meles's turmoil may be due to HRW June 12, 2008's report on Ogaden Somali crime against humanity that exposed him and his dictatorial regime once and for all; and of course uncertainty of the future when USA's new president assumes his role. Additionally, it has been also thought that if he learns that al Bashir, the Sudan presidents' ICC's arrest warrant; this again triggers tremendous fear and devastation to him and his establishments. The repercussions can be also palpable in his entire lines of criminals all over the empire who dehumanise and depersonalise peoples of various backgrounds including the Sidama nation whose fate is at stake!!

Kambata Xoola,  July 14, 2008