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Meles Zenawi, the Man Who Sold Ethiopia Turns His Eyes on Africa


22 December 2009
Ginbot 7 Statement

In August 2009, when African leaders selected Ethiopia’s notorious dictator to represent Africa in the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, Ginbot 7 expressed its strong opposition and advised African leaders to reconsider their decision. In its concluding remark [Article dated October 30, 2009], Ginbot 7 warned African leaders to re-evaluate their regrettable decision.

Ginbot 7, along with the majority of the Ethiopian people, has opposed and denounced Zenawi’s representation of Africa in Copenhagen because he is a dictator with a horrible human rights record and a catastrophic environmental policy in his own home land. Besides, there was a justifiable need for alarm due to Zenawi’s incompetence and his track record for shortchanging his people for the love of money would make him a sell-out in Copenhagen.

Well, our warning was warranted and the African leaders that ignored it are now reeling from Zenawi’s betrayal. Meles Zenawi is a man who has been dealing the interests of his own country behind the back of the people he supposedly leads. Last week in Copenhagen, he betrayed the entire continent of Africa by making a deal that literally makes poor African farmers pay with their lives for the environmental crimes of the industrialized world.

On Wednesday December 15, 2009; the Copenhagen Climate Conference was still in session, however, by late Wednesday afternoon; Africa leaders, diplomats and environmental groups have already started pointing their fingers at the very person they recklessly elected to represent them in the conference.

Many African nations feared that Meles Zenawi secretive accord in Paris with the European Union (EU) days ahead of the Copenhagen Conference has already compromised Africa’s environmental interest.

After learning Zenawi’s deal with the West, Bishop Desmond Tutu said, “No deal is better than bad deal”, and the Pan-African Climate Justice Spokesperson, Mithika Mwenda accused Zenawi of “caving in to the dictates of industrialized nations.” The sharpest criticism of all came from Lumumba Di-Aping, the Chief Negotiator for the G77 Group of developing nations. He said: “We have been asked to sign a suicide pact” where he also emphasized the weaknesses of African negotiators and leaders that were lazy, unprepared, and had been “bought off” by the industrialized nations

Meles Zenawi is a self-serving “decision maker” whose appetite for immorality knows no bounds. We believe nothing is more thoughtless than allowing a vicious dictator [who betrays his own people] to represent the entire continent of Africa. Similarly, nothing could be more foolish than turning a deaf ear to the people’s cry and words of warning.

Last week in Copenhagen, Zenawi stood with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and sided with the Euopean Union (EU) while representing Africa, and reached a deal that makes Africa a natural furnace. This could sound strange to African leaders who trusted him and made him Africa’s climate ambassador, but to the Ethiopian people, this historic betrayal is par for the course.

Ginbot 7 believes that the world and Africa, in particular, have learned from this grave mistake of falling prey to a wily dictator. We also believe that the lessons learned in Copenhagen will enable donor nations and fellow Africans to look ahead and deal more effectively with the tyrant, Meles Zenawi. Truth be told, Zenawi has no moral authority to be the spokesman for Africa in any capacity.

Ginbot 7 Movement for Justice, Freedom and Democracy