In an Empire where the "prisons speak Afaan Oromoo", the "Free Prisoner" campaigns are only for Teddy Afro

In an Empire where the "prisons speak Afaan Oromoo", the "Free Prisoner" campaigns are only for Teddy Afro (Gadaa.com Editorial - May 8, 2008)

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Teddy Afro was called the "New Reggae God of Ethiopia" by the National Public Radio (NPR). For those who have heard his songs, that description of him by NPR is fitting. Teddy is a gifted artist who created new melodies by combining Afro-Caribbean music styles with Horn of African sounds. For instance, he fused Hadiya's traditional wedding song with reggae beats to come up with one of his hits - Seleme.

In the middle of his flourishing career, however, he was allegedly involved in a fatal hit-and-run automobile accident in November 2006. Teddy has been free on bail since that time, but Woyane has finally used the hit-and-run alleged crime as a pretext to tighten the noose around Teddy's neck. Now Teddy Afro is languishing in Woyane's most notorious prison - Qaallitti. He is an inmate in a prison where more than 85% of the inmates are Oromo prisoners of conscience. Being inmates of this same notorious prison is where the similarity between Teddy Afro and the other 85% Oromo prisoners of conscience ends.

Most of Teddy's fans see his imprisonment as a political persecution and are campaigning worldwide to free him from Woyane's firm grip. Some of his fans have even gotten the support of a U.S. Congressman. U.S. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher of California told Woyane's Ambassador to the United States to "free Teddy Afro immediately" in a 4-word letter on April 29, 2008. Since Teddy's imprisonment, there have been numerous articles and blogs urging readers to take Teddy as another Woyane victim, and rallies organized to solicit more diplomatic pressures on the TPLF-led regime to free Teddy. The same websites that "broke the news" that the Empire's "prisons speak Afaan Oromoo" are churning out campaign articles to free Teddy.

There is no doubt that Teddy Afro is a victim of Woyane's persecution. There is no doubt that Teddy should receive the due process of law for the crime he allegedly committed with the principle of "being innocent until proven guilty." There is also no doubt that his fans, and fellow countrymen and countrywomen should be campaigning to free Teddy!

With that said, it is sad to imagine how the 85% Oromo prisoners of conscience of Qaallitti feel about their destinies as the world rallies to free a single inmate, Teddy. It is very hard to convince those prisoners and their relatives that Ethiopia is a country that does not subject them to oppression because of their ethnic background; in fact, Woyane threw them into concentration camps for being Oromo, then the Diaspora Ethiopians ignored their situations for being Oromo for years until the born-again-freedom-fighter Aite Seye Abraha "broke the news" that Ethiopian "prisons speak Afaan Oromoo" in 2007.

Yet again, it is very sad to witness that in an Empire where the "prisons speak Afaan Oromoo", there has been no "free Oromo prisoners of conscience" campaigns from all corners of the Diaspora and Ethiopia. It is neither fair nor ethical to single out Teddy Afro and campaign vigorously for his release, and leave out the other thousands of Woyane's victims. It is time to build this momentum up in order to campaign for Teddy Afro's and the thousands of Oromo and other prisoners' of conscience unconditionally releases from all Woyane's Auschwitz concentration camps NOW! It is time to go beyond petty differences and strive to work for common goals. Free Teddy Afro - Indeed! Free ALSO all other PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE languishing in Woyane's Auschwitz concentration camps!!