On Monday, Georgetown gave a respected award, the John Thompson Legacy of a Dream Award, to the first lady of Ethiopia, Azeb esfin.
I humbly disagree with Georgetown’s decision to grant her the award. Her association with groups committing human rights violations does not merit her receiving this honor.
This award is a prestigious one and is usually given to people who have made a profound contribution to society: Last year, the award was given to the late Rosa Parks. Mesfin was honored for her “work” against HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia. But she is also actively involved in politics, and has not stopped the many atrocities occurring in Ethiopia.
In May 2005, Mesfin’s husband, Meles Zenawi of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, took part in a controversial national election in Ethiopia.
Millions waited in long lines to cast their votes, and the results were striking. In Addis Ababa, where international observers monitored the election, the ruling party, led by Zenawi, lost all 23 parliamentary seats to the two main opposition parties, the United Democratic Ethiopian Forces and The Coalition for Unity and Democracy. Just a few days after the Addis Ababa results were reported, and before the countryside elections returns came in, Zenawi’s party declared that it had won the election.
Hearing these results, Zenawi’s opponents felt that they had been cheated out of their votes. Reports claim that they took to the streets in peaceful protest. In response, Zenawi’s party sent out its special forces to disperse these protests and to kill or capture its leaders.
Dozens of innocent civilians were cut down by gunfire, and many people – including journalists – were captured and put into prison. The leaders of the main opposition, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy were gathered up and put into jail for “inciting violence.” They were subsequently charged with treason and genocide – very serious allegations punishable by execution.
Ana Gomez, an observer from the European Union, has reported these atrocities to world leaders, who have failed to act. Western leaders have instead championed Zenawi as one of Africa’s leading democrats.
There are many other atrocities that are being committed in Ethiopia, including the recent military killings of the people of Anuak, a very small minority in Southwest Ethiopia. Human rights groups such as the Human Rights Watch, Genocide Watch and Judgement on Genocide have described this as “genocide.”
While Georgetown sponsored a ceremony where University President John J. DeGioia awarded Mesfin for her work in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Ethiopians were suffering at the hands of her husband and her government.
HIV/AIDS remains a huge problem in Ethiopia. According to the World Health Organization, thousands of people infected with the disease die every year. There are as many as 2.3 million HIV/AIDS-stricken people in Ethiopia. Fewer than 25,000 of those receive antiretroviral medicines. Those who can not afford treatment die – leaving desperate orphans behind.
I would have respected Georgetown’s decision to present the award to Mesfin if the Ethiopian people had first seen some form of social justice. As an Ethiopian, I do not see what good esfin has done for her people. She has not advocated freedom, nor has she fought hard enough for the cause for which she was honored. The vast majority of Ethiopians with HIV/AIDS cannot get treatment.
In Ethiopia, there are millions of people suffering from poverty and thousands of innocent civilians in prison. There is virtually no freedom of the press. Mesfin ironically receives this award at the same time Zenawi and his regime have literally divided Ethiopia into states based on ethnicity. This move has been a costly one, and it has raised tensions between ethnic groups – something which rarely occurred before Zenawi’s forces toppled the dictator Mengistu Haile-Mariam. But Zenawi is himself a dictator and his regime has done a disservice to Ethiopia.
I find it unacceptable that our university would give such a respected award to the wife of Meles Zenawi. Martin Luther King Jr., for whom the Legacy of Dream Award is named, fought for the freedom of all people and he dreamed that they would come together and live harmoniously. I find it outrageous to honor a woman who gives direct support to this dictator. I am very disappointed by Georgetown’s decision.
We are all aware of Georgetown’s deep commitment to social justice, but there is no social justice in Ethiopia.
Azanaw Mengistu is a sophomore in the College.