Teketel Haile-Mariam

McLean, Virginia  

Were the supposed peace and honorary doctoral degree "awards" to Melles Zenawi genuine or pack of deceptions?

 

Many Ethiopians, including myself, felt the award was granted by the World Peace Council, and protested to that organization for honoring a leader whom most Ethiopians despise and feel is leading the country to disaster.  On further research, it appears the World Peace Council did not grant Melles Zenawi a prize of any kind.  Rather, the "award" was the work of a mysterious organization that calls itself "World Peace Prize Awarding Council" or "World Peace Corps Mission", which appears to be based either in Korea or Taiwan; a university in Korea also granted Melles an honorary doctorate degree. Last year, that same organization "granted" a similar honor to the Vice President of Taiwan, but a National Policy Foundation of Taiwan later discovered the "award" was actually purchased by the recipient from the organization for a substantial fee arranged through a public relations firm representing the recipient.  You may read the full story in the National Policy Foundation website by logging on http://www.npf.org.tw/English/Publication/NS/NS-C-091-006.htm.

 

Mr. Zenawi is facing mounting opposition by Ethiopians both at home and abroad for massive human rights violations, spreading and deepening economic malaise, his handling of the Ethio-Eritrea conflict, his consistent work to promote the interests of Eritrea rather than Ethiopia,  and the looming disaster of massive displacement of Ethiopians from areas which have been awarded to Eritrea by the Boundary Commission with the pleading of Mr. Zenawi.  He desperately needs a diversion from these troubles, and may have thought deception through the dubious honor would give him a temporary reprieve.  Could he also have arranged the purchase of the "award" through his public relations firm?   The truth should be sought and conveyed.

 

Teketel Haile-Mariam

McLean, Virginia