MESSAGE TO LEADERS...WE'RE ALL IMMIGRANTS, REMEMBER THAT...THIS WORLD IS NOT OUR HOME...

MESSAGE TO ALL LEADERS

When I say a leader, I’m not speaking only about Presidents, Prime Ministers or Kings of every county. I’m also speaking to everyone who has a responsibility to lead a family, small business, government official, Mothers, Fathers, Church leaders, community leaders …etc.

Let me start from myself. I work for Ameher Trading PLC as a supervisor. The company owned by five sisters and their younger brother. I also have a small leather business which I run it on a side. I make dresses only on Sunday morning before I go to church and make more money.

Ameher Trading has three branches. I’m the one who calls for new staffs, interview, train, hire and pay salary for them. If any worker has problem, I’m the one dealing with the staff member. I’m very strict and all of them know that. I can’t tolerate late comer, laziness, lies, and carelessness.

When I need to hire, I call the agents to send me people. When I pick the workers, I just pick them after I’ve little conversation with them apart from the interview.

Religion

Tribe

Color of their skin

Beauty

Gender

Age

Marital status…is not a problem for me.

I want somebody, who is active and has ability to work in team will be picked by me. I hire sales persons mainly, but sometimes I call junior accountants. Some of them are from the city, they know how to dress as a sales person. Some of them come from rural areas and they don’t even know how to groom themselves or talk to our customers. I can train them and shape them in less than ten days.

I’ve never ever fire a single employee, but they resigned by their own free will. Some of them have got a better job and wrote a resignation letter to me. One girl collected her salary, she paid for the shoes she bought with credit and disappeared. My staff members come from seven different tribes and three different religions. I’m a Christian and from the Oromo tribe. There are Muslims, Orthodox and Protestants in our company. The owners of the company are Muslims. They like all the workers. They see the workers like their own families. Nobody in my staff attacks anybody’s religion. The Muslims go to pray twice or thrice a day in the store room. Customers can come to buy items while they are praying. We don’t interrupt their prayers just to sell some item. We tell the customers, ” Someone is praying, wait a moment please.” The customers know the hour, they sit and wait. We respect each other. When the person finishes the prayer, we bring the item from the store and sell. Sometimes, customers say; “I’ll come back later.” Sometimes they come back, sometimes they don’t. I never complained for losing a business because of a Muslim’s prayer. We never interrupted their prayer not to miss a single customer.

There’s a huge business three minutes walk from our office. The business is owned by a Muslim guy. One day I went with a friend of mine to assist her to choose the things she wanted to buy. The building is a four story building. The show room is down stairs, we had to climb up to all the floors to choose all the items. The guy has 125-150 workers. From the receptionist to the general managers, they were all Muslims. I felt sad. Since that day, I keep watching things in my city. When I go to work every morning, taxis are scarce. Many of the public cars ride on the road carrying only the driver. Most of them don’t want to help people. If a Muslim guy comes along the road, he parked his car and gives ride only for the Muslim girls or women who covered their hairs. If I had a burka to wear, I’d be given ride. There were many days I envied them. There was a day I even thought to wear a head dress to get a ride to go to work very early. But I always forget. This is not right at all.

Some business owners ask the brokers; “Send me a very handsome young boy. I’m selling a girl’s stuff. All the girls will flood to my store to speak with the boy.” Or “Please send me a very pretty girl, who has a light skin, with nice body. I’m selling a man’s wear.” You see what they have in their minds? Their intensions are the very opposite of mine. Any business owner wants to make money. If I’ve a good product, I can sell it like hot cakes. I sell ladies bag, belt for men, leather jacket for men and women, leather shoes for men and women as well. I never asked for a pretty girl with light skin, soft hair, long hair, slim, tall or a very handsome young guy with athletic body. What is this? I’m at AMEHER or MULITTI’S to sell the leather products not to use the young people. I see men asking the girls for their cell phone numbers.When the girls refused to give their contacts, some daring men asked me the girl’s number from me.

“She’s one of my staff, … this is the office number, call the office any time and talk to her.”

I said for one man. He just entered when I interview the girl. She came for her interview; I don’t even ask her name. He wanted to carry her and run before I talk to her. He tried to snatch her phone and to call his number. She put her cell phone in her jean’s pocket. In the name of snatching the cell phone, he almost put his hands in her underwear. I raised my voice and told him to stop it. He was the first person to step at the store that day. He bought the most expensive shoes in the store and left. That girl finished her training. She was a type of person who picks stuffs. I began missing small money for three days. I call the person who sent her to me, I’m missing money. She didn’t come on the day she supposed to start her job and sign her agreement.

When I was child, I used to go at the evangelical church to play. Later I became a Sunday school student, then a member of children’s choir. The pastor came from Western Ethiopia, same place with my father, Oromo from Welega. The majority of the members were from the same tribe and region. Ninety nine percent of the preachers, deacons were from same tribe and they came from Welega. My elder sister brought me to the Evangelical church around Sidist Killo by then. Pastors and priests were from Welega and Eretria, and the members were from Eretria and Wolega. You can find few other members from other tribes, but they’re counted.

When I was a teenager, I went to Apostolic church. The pastor was from Tigrai and his wife was from southern nation, Kembata. Their members were from southern tribes, 99.9 %.

When I was a college student, I went to Nairobi Kenya. I lived in different estates in Nairobi, but I stayed longer around Umoja One and Buruburu. The PCEA church, Presbyterian Church is filled by Kikuyus. I asked my land lady if the church belongs to Kikuyu’s only. She laughed out loud. I went to another church in Buruburu, the president of the church was from Kamba tribe. If you’re from his tribe, you can serve, you’ll be promoted,…etc. What I’m seeing all around the world is a same thing.

I was not able to see things how are they going in the former governments in Ethiopia, but now I can see. I go to many minister’s offices from different kind of businesses. Sometimes I go to do a volunteer job, sometimes for my own business. The office of Minister of tourism and culture was almost my home for six months two years ago. We were called by the office to organize the Ethiopian Fashion Week. Many of the secretaries or officials are from the same tribe. I went to Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Mine and Precious Stones, all the women I meet are from Tigrai tribe. I went to Ethiopian Air Lines, and saw people with high positions are from Tigrai. I went to the Air force, and see the Defense Ministry, from their gate keepers to the highest Generals, they’re Tigrai people. Ethiopia is a country of 86 tribes or more. Every tribe has well educated persons. Every tribe has a hero to represent his country and want to serve in the Ministry of defense. I hired two guys who has a B.A degree in Industrial Engineering and Electro Mechanical engineering. They’re working as a sales person to keep themselves busy with a small salary. They went and applied to be hired by M Engineering, which belongs to our defense. They were not hired. One guy is from a tribe called Yem, and the other is Oromo. The guy with a degree of Industrial engineering says many times; “To be hired there, we must come from Tigrie tribe.” Why is this? Every single person should be treated equally in every part of the world.

Black people complained about being discriminate in Europe, North America and Australia. Who spoke about discrimination among your own nation? Even in a family, parents favored one child from another. This issue brings hostility between their children. Parents should be wise and govern their house fairly.

These days, I’m about to stop watching news. I went to bed early and wake up early. After I put my food on the stove, I turn on the TV. I prefer CNN or BBC to hear news from around the world. Both TVs are speaking about same person, same name, and same thing for about months. I was expecting I could hear a speech which is different from a speech he had in his election campaign. When someone wants to be a leader, he must learn first how he speaks. He must know that he should govern every citizen equally. If the leader has an issue of tribe, nationalities, religion, gender and color, I don’t think he’ll succeed. This is 2017, we call ourselves civilized. Why do big government officials discriminate? Why do they favor their tribes, colors,…etc? Why can’t they judge their own nations equally?

I heard a lot of times America belongs to any nation. I also heard America is a country of immigrants. But I believe the whole world belongs to God. All human beings are the creature of this Heavenly God. And if all human beings are his children, they have a right to travel to any part of the world and live in a place they like.

May be there is a fear of Islam Extremist or a terrorist group. I can’t say Muslims are terrorists. Years back, we had a very bad event. The Ethiopian Airlines’s plane crashed on Comoros Iceland. The hijackers were Ethiopians. They were not Muslims I remember. They only wanted the airplane to take them to Australia. Many passengers and the flight attendants died. The pilots attacked by hijackers. Few medical doctors died, some came with bruises and broken bones. My best friend’s big brother came out of that danger without any harm. Our Journalist “Mohammed Amin” who used to produce and presented African Journal died on that crash. We heard that he was bargaining with the hijackers to make peace. Look, the Christian were terrorist there and the Muslim journalist was trying to save everybody’s life. A terrorist can come from any part of the world, not only from a Muslim country.

Do you remember a Scandinavian man who attacked a summer camp and killed many youth? The story ended up by his medical…report. Who called him terrorist? Who killed the sheik or…in NY when he left the mosque? Was the shooter labeled a terrorist? Was the action registered as “Terror Action?” Please, let us judge every human being regardless of his faith, color, tribe and everything. In our creator’s sight, we are all equal. He has no everlasting kingdom, for different types of race, colors, religions and nationalities. What are you guys thinking?

When I was attending the apostolic church I heard this. In America, the members in Pentecostal church were allowed to marry only from their race or color. The Ethiopians became many in numbers. As you know, Ethiopian skin color a little bit lighter and their hairs are softer and longer than some of other African nations, but they’re Africans. Some white members fall in love with the Ethiopians and were not allowed to marry them. The Ethiopians left the UPCI. They founded their own church and call it Apostolic Church of Ethiopia, and they’re having branches in every state. Rejection of any color or tribe causes separation and plant hatred among people in same faith.

“Unity Is Strength!” I read this when I was a fifth grader from our English book. “Together We Are Stronger!” I saw that on my older sister’s office’s logo.

There’s no fame or becoming great by rejecting people from our land. There’s no greatness when there’s hate and fear in our hearts. Time will come for all of us.

“FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN,

THERE’S AN APPOINTED TIME.”

THAT’S A BIBLE’S VERSE, from Book of Ecclesiasts.

LEADERS, LET’S THINK MATURED, LET’S ACT MATURED, LET’S LISTEN TO THE VOICES OF OUR NATIONS, LET’S BE A LISTNER, LET’S NOT BE A JUMPER FOR CONCLUSION AND MAKE DECESION, LET’S BE FAIR FOR EVERYONE.

NO POPULISM!

NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR EVERYDAY; “ I’LL DO THIS FOR MY COUNTRY. I’LL CHASE THIS FROM MY COUNTRY. I’LL GIVE THIS FOR MY COUNTRY. I’LL CREATE THIS AND THAT FOR MY COUNTRY.”

NOBODY CAN SAY; “ I WILL DO THIS, OR I’CAN’T DO THIS, I CAN’T ALLOW THIS... FOR A COUNTRY OR FOR A NATION.”

WHO IS i? i’M JUST A SMALL me. When God takes away my breath, i'm just the dust of the earth. WHY DO SOME LEADERS THINK THEY OWN THE WHOLE EARTH?

THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN SAY “I, ANY TIME HE WANTS IS THE ONLY ONE GOD. WHEN HUMAN BEINGS SAY “I”, THEY WON’T GO FAR. THEY DON’T LIVE THEIR DREAMS.

I LIKE THE BOOK OF ISAIAH WITH MANY \"I\"S. BECAUSE HE'S THE FATHER OF ALL NATIONS. HE DESERVES TO SAY \"I\". BUT WE CAN'T. WHEN WE UNITE, WE CAN BRING GREAT CHANGES. WHEN WE SEPARATE EACH OTHER, WE'LL FALL APART.

TOGETHER ( THE BLACK AND THE WHITE, THE MALE AND FEMALE, CHRISTIAN, MUSLIMS, JEWISH,BUDHIST,HINDI…ETC)WE ARE STRONGER!!!!

Thank you all leaders.

AFTER ALL, WE’RE ALL LEADERS.

LET’S NOT PUSH OTHERS ON THEIR TIME OF DIFFICULTIES. A TIME WILL COME FOR US TO ASK THEIR HELP, PROBABLY.

I READ A READERS DIGEST IN NAIROBI. THE STORY WAS ABOUT 9’11. ON THAT DAY, ONE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS AN ARAB WAS IN SERIOUS DANGER. THE YOUNG ARAB GUY WAS ABOUT LOSING HIS LIFE IF HE WERE NOT LUCKY SOME GUY CAME FOR HIS RESCUE.HE CONFESSED IT LIKE; “ A HELP CAME FROM THE LEAST EXPECTED PLACE. I WAS HELPED BY A YOUNG MAN. THE GUY WHO CAME FOR MY RESCUE WAS A JEWISH.” THAT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES.

WE ARE ALL HUMAN. LET’S NOT FIGHT TO GO BACK TO DARK AGES. LIFE IS SHORT AND LET’S CREATE A PEACEFUL WORLD. HOPE EVERY LEADER OF ANY COUNTRY HAS A CHILD, AT LEAST ONE. I DON’T HAVE ANY CHILD, BUT HAVE FEW BEAUTIFUL COUSINS, NIECES AND NEPHEWS. I DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM SUFFER IN THE WORLD WHICH SOME LEADERS ARE TRYING TO CREATE RIGHT NOW.