By T, Staffer of
De Birhan Media
10 March 2012
What
a national shame is it?
A
national dishonour (wey wey wey werdet).
A
video shows an Ethiopian domestic worker kidnapped and dragged by couple
of Lebanese men in front of Ethiopian consulate in Lebanon. I was gobsmacked and
unable to sleep last night. This anecdote is one of the causations for this
article, although I started the piece sometime ago. A group of Ethiopians from
here in Europe phoned and cooperated in Lebanon to apprehend the perpetrators.
Until this second no word or help was garnered from the Ethiopian consulate,
Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the government itself. Should we
ordinary Ethiopians fight for each and every one of our compatriots arrested,
stranded or kidnapped everywhere? When will the Meles Zenawi regime like the
U.S.A., European countries and many African countries be alarmed at the
persecution of its citizens? At least they could have made a statement. Balebetu yakelelewen Amole… In fact the
silence of the Ethiopian Consulate and government on this poor girl is
tantamount to cooperation (accomplice) with the gangs… they are same gangs
after all.
α
Ethiopia
awaits a revolution. Aside with the political revolutions that I have been
talking about, this time am talking about the revolution that the young
generation is supposed to make. Ethiopia needs a socio-cultural revolution too.
We ought to do away with the bad traditional practices, social injustices,
gender and racial bias, prejudice, discrimination and persecution. Sure, they have a political connotation but
some of the injustices and socio-cultural problems have been embedded within us
since centuries ago.
I
don’t want my esteemed readers to confuse the Cultural Revolution I am talking
about with Mao Zendong’s. Cultural Revolution in China was a
socio-political movement led by Mao Zedong,
the Chairman of the Communist Party of China, aimed to enforce
socialism in the country by removing capitalist,
traditional
and cultural
elements from Chinese society, and to impose Maoist orthodoxy
within the Party. The revolution marked the return of Mao Zedong to a position
of absolute power after the failed Great Leap Forward. The movement politically
paralyzed the country and significantly affected the country economically and
socially.
This
is not my kind. My kind of Cultural Revolution is a revolution that focuses on
the bad, inhuman, backward thoughts, customs and traditions mainly centred in
social justice that we as a society must uproot. It starts from inside. If we
clean our house (both from the social and political injustices), then we would
not have Ethiopian sisters who would be exported for abuse.
α
1. Revolution on
how we treat Ye bet Serategnoch (
servants ) Domestic Workers
Servant
is perhaps a pejorative word now but this is one major social injustice,
persecution and inhumanity that we must improve our approach on or do away
totally. Less noticed, less campaigned and traditional abuse, discrimination
and persecution of our own sisters should stop.
It starts from the naming “Gered” – (servant). This terminology has long
been unused in most parts of the world- we need to remove it from our vocabularies. How can we be transformational,
revolutionary, fair minded, positive thinkers when we grew up within an
educated, well-to-do family that has brought us up exploiting, abusing,
discriminating and sub humanising its domestic workers? Maids in Ethiopia are
mostly women who come to Addis Abeba from the rural to work in urban houses.
They live with the people sheltered and fed, and paid a meagre monthly salary for
their services. They often do the cooking, cleaning, washing, all houses chores;
guard the house at times and also as nannies. Although there exists a symbiotic
relationship between the employer and the maid; the intricacies of it shows
that it is more of feudalistic and elitist. Some could argue that Ethiopian
maids who export themselves to Arab countries face even the worst type of abuse
there, so better that they be anyway here. No “Injustice anywhere, is injustice
everywhere”, in most middle eastern
countries and Ethiopia maids work long hours, seven days a week and month, no
or sporadic vacations, no legal recourse in the case of disagreement with their
employer. Maids most often maids eat leftovers or she cooks special food poor
in quality and content from the rest of the household members for herself,
sleeps in a separate building and room from the family (service bet). In most
cases teenage maids that come from rural areas to help themselves and poor
families are made to go to evening class (if ever allowed). They are forced to sex or raped by the
men in the household (husband, son or relatives).
I
recall how a domestic worker in our neighbour’s house in Addis Abeba, was assaulted by the
house lady for sitting on her special seat in the sitting room. I recollect
myself when I was about to fight as a kid of 7 or 8 years old with my uncles
who were to beat a painter who worked for them. Injustice and falsehood is
infuriating. Education, conscience and humanity are all about standing for
justice and truth. The mistreatment of domestic workers within the household is
also immeasurably dishonourable. They are made to wait in the kitchen or outside when families dine and wine in the
sitting room, only expected to join when called or to serve. They are made to
feel low, guilty and unable of talking and answering as equals. All these appear
to have come from the feudalistic culture practiced up until today. Getting a society of equal disparity, wealth,
urbanisation and development would not solve the problem, only democracy and
behavioural change would . These
domestic workers are our own sisters who only happen to be poorer than us and
aiming to help themselves and families, how can we then be this much
authoritarian, inhuman, abusive, exploitative on our own people?
Let’s
say some of these girls finally succeed through hard work and study but one
sure thing they do lack. Confidence. The hierarchical, feudalistic, elitist
tradition that transcended since centuries (typically exhibited in our politics
today) has resulted in a generation of no confidence.
2. Kechene
In this section I am gonna dwell on one of the Masters Degree thesis that I came across to give a historical and academic
substantive evidentiary to explain my annoyances. The thesis is titled “Pottery Production
an Asset for Women Livelihood Case Study on KECHENE Women Potters in Addis
Abeba by Mulu Yeneabat, 2007, Addis Abeba University. This is one of the very
rare and a few research works that I was able to get regarding artisan of
Kechene.
According to Mulu’s research, the area
popularly known as Kechene, is
presently referred as Kebele 08/16 and Kebele 07/17.
According to Gulele Sub City Administration, there were 3,000
potters and 60,000 weavers out of the 346,023 residents in 2007. The majority
of the potters (2,852 of the 3,000) were residing in the Kechene (Kebeles
08/16 and 07/17) among the population of 77,766. There are also 18,400 weavers in these two kebeles
(Kechene neighbourhood,). Ethiopians with skills of tanning, potting, blacksmithing
and weaving have contributed a lot to the development and civilisation of the
country. These skilful people located in various areas of Amhara region and Addis Abeba have had
tasted the bitter and sourly.
Mulu
says almost all the agricultural and pastoral communities are dependent on the
traditional handicrafts for generations, and the handicraft producers still use
their skills as a primary source of income. Religious artefacts such as
processional and hand crosses play vital roles for Orthodox Christian
celebrations and daily activities, but blacksmiths (that produced these and my
other household materials) have been highly stigmatized and despised. The
traditional handicrafts producers (potters, blacksmiths, weavers and tanners)
used to be marginalized groups and were not allowed to own land. They were
forced to live in separate villages without intermarrying with other community
members (Quirin, 1977, cited in P.M. McNutt 2001).
Most
of these artifacts were produced by highly artistic and creative people called
Fellasha, who are said to be Ethiopian Israelites. There were also Ethiopians
who practiced the profession like the Felashas and they were all marginalised,
persecuted and dehumanized by former regimes and the society. The
discrimination, stigma and mistreatment still exists on these professionals in
Ethiopia. Quirin argues that the
segregation and the out-casting of the Beta Israelis had a religious motivation. Since they refused to convert from their
Judaic religion to Christianity, Emperor Yeshaq who ruled Ethiopia between 1413
and 1430 proclaimed, “May he who is baptized in the Christian baptism inherit
the land of his father; otherwise let him be uprooted from his father's land
and be a stranger (falaa si)'. Since then the [Beta] Israel were
called Falashas (falaa shoch)” (Quirin, 1998, p. 201). Other
sources state the meaning of the word Fellasha meant refugees to signify their
migration from Israel to Ethiopia.
The
general population also used to fear the Beta Israel (Fellasha) and avoid them except for
the necessary exchange of goods in the market place. Much of the fear exhibited
by non- Beta Israel groups was reinforced by the belief that the Beta Israelis
possessed by "evil eye" which can cause illness or death (Quirin,
1979, p. 251, cited in McNutt, 2001).
Prof. R. Pankhurst reaffirmed this by citing
historical records as far as the 17th and 18th century explorers
such as Almeida, Barradas and Ludolf. The handicrafts producers faced serious
offensive punishments up to death
for the crimes they did not commit. “It was ‘quite usual’ to ‘suspect nearly
all illness as coming from sorcerers’ and to ‘attribute them to the
blacksmiths’. ‘Many’ of the later paid for their assumed guilt with lives”
(Pankhrust, R., 1993, Dieci and Viezzoli).
It
was recorded that most of the people with skills of handicraft had relocated
themselves from one place to another for fear of persecution. Nevertheless,
wherever their went his persecution followed them. The
Ethiopian nobilities and rulers further enforced the segregation and
persecution of the traditional handicrafts producers. Traditional handicraft
producers were in most parts of Ethiopia but the most famous and largest
producers were found in the Amhara regions. The persecution against these
people was beyond telling from what this writer has ever read in the history of
Ethiopia’s negative histories.
Emperor
Yohannes 1st declared a proclamation in 1668 A.D. for “the separation of
Muslims and Falashas, or Beta Esra'el, popularly known as Ethiopian Jews.” The
decree stated that, “The Falashas called Kayla, who is of the Jewish religion,
must not live with Christians, but must separate themselves from them, and live
apart, forming a village" (Pankhurst, 2001, www.addistribune.com/Archives/2001/01/19-01-
01/Praise.htm).
Emperor
Yohannes issued a second decree in 1678, ordering strict segregation of both
Muslims and Falashas. Accordingly, they settled in the outskirts of
Gondar city. Their settlement area is still, popularly called Kayla Meda,
or Falasha Field. The persecution of the traditional handicrafts
producers (the Beta Israelis) in Northern Ethiopia (present day Amhara region)
was severe. They were segregated and most of the times fled away in search of
refugee of the warlords who need their arts. According to one of the 19th
century Ethiopian popular chroniclers, Asma Giyorgis, the traditional
handicrafts producers fled to Shoa from Gondar. The warlord (the then ruler of
Shoa) Abbeyye “treated them ‘respectfully’. They made him axes and chisels with
which the people of Sawa [Shoa] cleared the forest of Yefat, as well as
sickles, hoes and ploughshares which enabled them to cultivate the province
more efficiently” (Bairu Tafla.1987:513.cited in Pankhurst, 1993:261). This shows
their major role in the agrarian transformation of the country. Even when they
were exiled to Shoa and were described as living ‘respectfully’, they settled
forming their own isolated villages in “Morat and Zalla, in the vicinity of
Fecce” (Pankhurst, 1993, p. 264).
Other
materials I have read state that the new Fellasha resettles thought the local
population the handicraft. However, those who adopted the practice soon got the
same kind of persecution that the older ones have gone through other parts of
Ethiopia.
In
order to stop the persecution of the traditional handicrafts producers and
recognizing their vital role in the livelihoods of the community, Emperor Menelik II proclaimed a decree
on January 25, 1908:
[D]o not insult the artisan for the trade he
practices … All human creatures take their root from Adam and Eve… God said to
Adam, ‘You will earn your bread by the sweat of your brow.’ If this no longer
holds and everyone indulges in sloth, then there is no government, there is no
country. And you who proffer insults, you empty my country and bring ruin upon
it by depriving it of those who sharpen the ploughshare. From now on, for he
who thus proffers these insults, it is I he is insulting, not the other one
(Cassiers, A. 1975, p. 103).
Did
we ever listen to Meles or our recent past leaders ever speak out about social
injustice? Or did they ever make any statement similar to the above? Does he
even know that there are still Ethiopians who are heavily persecuted both by
the mainstream society and the status quo? Compare it yourself, who was the
most progressive and enlightened one?
This is a tyranny on our people, culture and history. In addition to the proclamation, Emperor Menelik II encouraged the traditional handicrafts producers to settle around the newly established capital city, Addis Ababa. Gold smiths and other decoration and embroidery workers settled near to the palace named Serategna Sefer, while the women potters with their husbands (weavers and blacksmiths) from present day Northern Shoa (Morat) settled in the present day Kechene neighbourhood for its proxy to the clay soil. Even though the segregation and discrimination of the handicrafts producers did not decrease, persecution as the cause of illness and death started to decrease.
This is a tyranny on our people, culture and history. In addition to the proclamation, Emperor Menelik II encouraged the traditional handicrafts producers to settle around the newly established capital city, Addis Ababa. Gold smiths and other decoration and embroidery workers settled near to the palace named Serategna Sefer, while the women potters with their husbands (weavers and blacksmiths) from present day Northern Shoa (Morat) settled in the present day Kechene neighbourhood for its proxy to the clay soil. Even though the segregation and discrimination of the handicrafts producers did not decrease, persecution as the cause of illness and death started to decrease.
Just
few years ago, this writer recalls, being advised by his mother to be very
careful when walking in Kechene area. This shows that the discrimination,
stigma and ignorance have not gone away.
When
writing this piece I had the privilege of attending to an interview of a
brilliant man who hails from Jeru, Northern Area and lived all his life in
Kechene area in one of Ethiopia’s Diaspora based chat rooms. I was able to
learn from him that there are many stories of persecution, abuse, and historical
scars yet untold. The sacrifices paid and still being paid by Ethiopians
specialised in handicraft is our national scar that has to be told, discussed,
enlightened and healed. However, there are improvements in that other Ethiopians
have begun intermarrying with specialists of handicraft and there is an average
assimilation. There is still a high rate of endogamy, though. No it still exists. The
dogma, persecution, stigma, prejudice and dehumanisation of our compatriots in
Kechene, Moret, Jeru and Gonder have not been studied. Who is the boldest
ethnographer willing with the initiative and vision to go out there and study
the abuse, discrimination and persecution of these people? A short telephone
discussion I had with a lady from Kechene is a witness for my claims. The woman
says that there have been endless persecution and discrimination that moved
down from nobilities of the past up to todays. The present government or local
administration has not at all attempted to tackle or deal with this pressing
social and political problem, she says. “We are still called names (buda), discriminated and you would still
find people who say that we ride hyena in the evening” the lady speaks with an
infuriated tone. These people of skill that had or would have contributed to
Ethiopia’s real industrial revolution have been marginalised, killed and
dehumanised due to religious and political reasons. This is not a language or
skin colour based oppression but a caste, religion, power, control and
political oppression. They were denied a place in councils, assemblies and
religious rites and were also not allowed to act as legal witnesses. They were
also offered different seats at weddings, buried in different cemeteries and
are barred from entering a farmer’s compound, these norm still exists although
done in a covert manner. None of us have
spoken about this. I would advise researchers and investigative journalists to
go, live with these people and write an in-depth article. My attempt was more
of based on secondary materials.
α
In
this piece, I dealt on two main social injustices that exist in today’s
Ethiopia. The tanners of the southern Ethiopian people are the
other lot. One of the overarching reasons that pushed me out of my country in
addition to the clear and present dangers I had on my life was the abuse on
café waitresses. Do you recall how we
mistreated our sisters who worked as waitresses in Cafes? If there was no sugar
in the Cappuccino, the burger was late; she did not hear us call her and so on?
How evil and savages we were? Including you. We mistreated, abused, slapped,
insulted and disrespected our own sisters who worked in Cafeterias, hotels, restaurants who work
tirelessly for a meagre income. Hotel and cafeteria waitresses in Ethiopia bear
the highest brunt of abuse both from employers and customers. Many a times that I had quarrelled with my
own friends when they abused waitresses and mistreated them. The culture of blaming and making those
“below” us feel guilty are some of the other injustices. My brothers and sisters from Oromia, Ogaden,
and other regions that lament the abuse and persecution that happened during
our late emperors are missing a great point here. I tell you if you say you
were the only ones persecuted you were dead wrong. If you thought some people
laughed and mocked at you only, you were dead wrong. There are people that have
been and still are being persecuted, abused and dehumanized up until today in
the middle of Addis Abeba. Unlike some
who have been twirled by missionaries, these people still align themselves to a
united Ethiopia, die and live in Ethiopia for Ethiopia forever.
Let’s
stop deconstructing the past and rise up to construct our all inclusive,
multicultural, multidenominational, equal and democratic Ethiopia that has uprooted
its age-old prejudices and social injustices!
References
Cassiers,
Anne (1975) "Handicrafts and
Technical Innovation in Ethiopia," Cultures [Paris], 2, No. 3, 103-18
C.
Viezzoli (Eds.), Resettlement and rural development in Ethiopia. Social and
economic research training and technical assistance in Beles Valley (pp.251-286);
Franco Angeli.
Mulu Yeneabat (2007), “Pottery Production an Asset
for Women Livelihood Case Study on KECHENE Women Potters in Addis Abeba
, Addis Abeba University
Pankhurst,
R. (1993). History of Ethiopian handicrafts and handicraft workers. In P. Dicei
& C. Viezzoli (Eds.), Resettlement and rural development in Ethiopia.
Social and economic
research training and technical assistance in Beles Valley (pp.251-286); Franco
Angeli.
Pankhurst,
R. (2001). In praise of Ethiopian craftsmen, 5. The Craftsmen of Old-time
Gondar.
Retrieved
May 10, 2007 from: http:/www.addistribune.com/Archives/2001/01/19-01-
01/Praise
Quirin,
J. (1979). The process of caste formation in Ethiopia: A study of the Beta
Israel (Felasha),1270-1868. The International Journal of African Historical
Studies, 12(2), 1270-1868
Quirin,
J. (1998). Caste and class in historical north-west Ethiopia: The Beta Israel
(Falasha) and Kemant, 1300-1900. Journal of African History, 39(2)
195-220.
