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Release of prisoners ensured Addis Ababa’s right to host the AU Summit



ADDIS ABABA, JANUARY 17, 2022 — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, during his speech at the Great Ethiopian Homecoming fundraiser dinner held yesterday, said that Ethiopia could have lost the opportunity to host the African Union summit had the government decided not to release the prisoners on January 07, 2022.

“One of the reasons the African Heads of State decided to host this year’s AU summit in Addis Ababa was that they have come to see that Ethiopia is not like what others talk about. Ethiopia is hosting thousands of its Diaspora who are enjoying their vacation peacefully and prisoners are being released. This gesture brought forth the image that this country has a hope. This was image we created which led Addis Ababa to host the AU summit. It was a difficult trial for us”, said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

The Prime Minister, who had been receiving backlash for releasing the TPLF leaders, told the Diaspora community that their role in guaranteeing Ethiopia’s dignity was immense. He said had they not visited their homeland, the government could have lost the reason to explain that the country was indeed at peace.

“I was shocked”

Another statement that angered Ethiopians was when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, during his speech on January 09, said he was “shocked” when he heard the release of the prisoners. This word was not convincing to many Ethiopians.

PM Abiy, thus, took the opportunity to explain why he said he was “shocked” when he first heard the news.

“No government body asked me to arrest these men in the first place and no government body had asked me to release them. I am telling you the truth. This is not something related with outsiders. However, with regards to prisoners in general, we had multiple discussions”, said Prime Minister Abiy.

“Let me tell you one example. When the enemy [TPLF] reached Debre Sina few of our officials suggested the idea of releasing prisoners for fear that TPLF would release them if it captures Addis Ababa. We rejected the suggestion. We will ensure TPLF would not enter Addis Ababa. Even if it enters, let the TPLF release them but we will not release them now and allow the humiliation of Ethiopia”, added the Prime Minister.

“I want you to understand that this is something that has been going on for some time. We also discussed this issue during the Prosperity Party Executive Committee meeting a month before their release. We agreed that the way to defeat an enemy is not just by attacking but also through a gesture of goodwill. We decided to continue the discussion down our ranks. I also remember in Addis Ababa the discussion held with religious leaders, businesspeople and the scholars. Every regional state has discussed this issue. It is not acceptable to say the decision is a surprise. We have discussed this for more than a month.”

“In all honesty, we wanted to achieve a political objective by releasing prisoners but we did not discuss specific individuals. I had no idea who was going to be released even when we had the meeting with the Federal Ministers [Jan 06]. The Attorney General said it has decided to release them after it conducted its own studies”, explained the Prime Minister.

"Do not listen to the 'Queen'"

Prime Minister Abiy shared a parable of a fisherman, a King and a Queen. He narrated the story as follows.

There was a fisherman who, once upon a time, was off coast fishing. From a distant, a King and a Queen were gazing at the fisherman who toiled for hours only to catch one fish. The King summoned the fisherman. He wanted to purchase the fish which he liked.

The fisherman arrived at the King’s court. The King paid 4,000 Birr and took the fish. But the Queen groaned. “Why would you pay 4,000 for one fish?”, she muttered. The King said he already purchased it and there is nothing he could do. But the Queen said she has a plan to retrieve the lost money. “What is the plan?”, asked the King. The Queen said we will ask him the sex of the fish. If the fisherman says it’s a male, then we will say we wanted a female and then return it. If he says it’s a female, we will also say we wanted a male.

The fisherman was summoned again. He was asked the question but the fisherman understood. “Since my King liked the fish, my fish is neither a male nor a female”, responded the fisherman. The King was pleased with the fisherman’s answer and gave him another 4,000 Birr.

When the fisherman bowed down to express his gratitude, 10 cents dropped from his pocket. The fisherman, who took 8,000 Birr, followed the 10 cents as it ran down under. He moved carpets and chairs to find it. The Queen, who was already angered by the King’s decision, asked the fisherman in dismay “You have taken so much money, why would you create chaos to find the 10 cents?”. “It is not about the money”, responded the fisherman. “I have taken enough money but the 10 cents holds the image of the King”, said the man. “My conscious did not allow me to take the King’s money while leaving a cent that holds his image on the ground”. And yet again the King was pleased and awarded the fisherman another 4,000 Birr. The Queen said to herself that if this continues, the man will take everything from us and she stopped arguing. The fisherman took 12,000 Birr.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said in the story the fisherman is Ethiopia. We were engaged in our own affairs in our country, he said. It was the wealthy and the rich ones that came to us not the other way around, he said. “We have not stepped out one meter outside of Ethiopia”, added the Prime Minister.

“Our enemies are like the Queen. The group that cried foul when the prisoners were released was the same group that wanted these prisoners released in the first place. Your presence [the Diaspora] would have been pointless and the AU summit would have been cancelled”, said PM Abiy Ahmed.

He said do not follow the cries of the “Queen”. We, the fishermen, will not decide on anything unless it brings us an ounce of benefit, he added.

“We work to earn ourselves a profit. And this profit is ensuring Ethiopia's Sovereignty, National Interest and Dignity”, said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Speaking subtly and without mentioning by name the US Embassy’s scaremongering, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said we ensured that their propaganda will not work in Ethiopia despite their repeated call for their citizens to leave the country.

“I am not a poor man who grows arrogant when he attains victory. I know how I achieved this victory. However, had my God forsaken me, it would not have happened”, said Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

“We need time and money to recover”

The Prime Minister said the most important thing at the moment is time and money.

“First we need to recuperate. We need to heal those who are wounded. We need to build what was destroyed. For this we need time and money”, said the Prime Minister.

“Just like we decided to give our lives for our country, now it is time to focus on rebuilding instead of focusing on petty arguments”, he added.

He explained that during this time of petty argument the government has managed to restore electric power in all places from Debre Sina until Kobo with exception of two or three towns.

He said since the power company had budget limitations, the government borrowed from banks to ensure those places get electricity.

He also said the government has fully restored telecommunication networks in the affected places.

The Prime Minister also mentioned that from the 1.4 million people who were displaced from Amhara, 1.2 million were returned to their homes in the last 2 to 3 weeks.

With regards to banking services, PM Abiy Ahmed said 140 branches of Commercial Bank of Ethiopia from Debre Sina to Kobo were damaged during the conflict. But now, after recovery, 120 of the branches are operational while the remaining 20 will begin operation the coming weeks.

The process of recovery requires time, money, plan and leadership in the same way as a battle, said the leader of Ethiopia.

However, he emphasized the need for more time and money to help those who were displaced and to support the hospitals which were looted.

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