A black pickup truck slowly circled RFK Stadium. Its sole cargo was a billboard bearing the images of a starving child, a
man with a swastika on his forehead, piles of money and a soccer ball.
The description of the event on the billboard was slightly different. It read, “Blood Money Festival.”Unity can be so divisive sometimes.Ethiopians living in the United States are used to navigating political differences that stem from power struggles in their native country. But for decades, amateur soccer leagues were immune. Now, the controversy surrounding the tournament, which began Sunday and ends this weekend, has injected political overtones into a beloved sport.Until this year, most of the amateur Ethiopian soccer clubs in the United States belonged to the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America, which has been holding an annual soccer tournament for 29 years and considers itself nonpolitical. One of the founding clubs — and one of the most dominant — is the D.C. Ethio Stars. For much of its existence, it was led by three men: Sebsebe Asefa, Eyaya Arega and Gebru Amanuel, who defected to the United States in 1979 when they were players for the Ethiopian national team. They were part of a wave of defections stemming from a bloody crackdown by the then-ruling Marxist dictatorship.
When that government fell and was replaced by the current prime minister and de facto dictator Meles Zenawi, loyalties to the old and new regime split Ethiopian churches and communities abroad, including in the Washington area. The region is home to about 200,000 people of Ethiopian descent, the largest population outside Ethiopia, according to the Ethiopian Embassy.
The soccer federation managed to escape such division until 2010, when it invited Birtukan Mideksa, a political opposition leader in Ethiopia, as a guest of honor for its next national soccer tournament.
A faction of board members, including Asefa and Arega, opposed an invitation to a figure as polarizing as Mideksa, a former judge who was imprisoned and is sometimes referred to as Ethiopia’s Aung San Suu Kyi. They asked that she be uninvited. After a board election that didn’t turn out in their favor, the dissenters left to form their own group. The new organization was called the Ethiopian Sports Federation of North America ONE and got financial backing from Mohamed Amoudi, an Ethiopian-born billionaire and ally of the Zenawi government.
The two leagues went to court over their names. The older group prevailed, securing a court order that forced the upstart to opt for the All Ethiopian Sports Association. The two organizations immediately began planning rival soccer tournaments for the first week of July. The older federation is hosting a tournament in Dallas; the newer one plays its games in the District.
With both tournaments on the calendar, vendors, performers and players had to choose which one to attend. Several soccer clubs split into two. There are now two D.C. Ethio Starts teams, one lead by Asefa, and the other by his fellow defector Amanuel.
“It was a decision everybody had to make. The ones that went to Dallas, we said good luck,” said Teddy Fekade, 43, a coach for D.C. Ethio Stars. “Those are our brothers. It was as tough for them as it was for us. There is no animosity.”
The same can’t be said for the other side, which accuse the defectors of aligning themselves with Amoudi and, by extension, Zenawi’s government.
“Real Ethiopians do not participate” in the new league, Amanuel said. “Some of the players just take [Amoudi’s] money. We are financed by business owners.”
Protestors who gathered outside RFK on Sunday were even harsher in their criticism of the tournament organizers. They argued that Amoudi’s wealth comes at the expense of Ethiopians and called him a thief and mass murderer. They were behind the billboard in the pickup truck that advertised the tournament as a “blood money festival.”
Protestors have another rally planned for Friday afternoon.
In comments on Web sites for anti-Zenawi publications such as the Ethiopian Review, the protest organizers were calling on Ethiopians here to boycott anyone involved in the RFK tournament, including performers and vendors.
“We are going after the businesses and the singers,” said Kebadu Belachew, one of the protestors. “We will publish their names.”
Terrence Lyons, an expert on Ethiopian politics at George Mason University, said it is “not too far of a stretch” to believe Amoudi’s bankrolling of a soccer federation is part of a larger effort to influence the diaspora. But Amoudi is also not quite as sinister as the protestors make him out to be. Lyons said many of Amoudi’s investments in Ethiopia could be seen as legitimate development.
Asefa of the All Ethiopian Sports Association said the new league is not about taking sides. Instead, he said, it seeks to return to the concept that launched the first one: using sport to bridge differences.
“We don’t want to get involved in politics, religion or [anything] ethnic,” he said. “We want all Ethiopians to participate.”
To make that point, the guests of honor at the RFK tournament are members of the 1962 Ethiopian national soccer team, the country’s only team to win the Africa Cup of Nations. When four of them took their seats Sunday before the opening ceremonies, people applauded and crowded around them to take pictures. But attendance was sparse, with fewer than 100 people on hand that day.
One was a 48-year-old federal worker from Burke named Tesfa. He offered only his first name because, as he put it, “I don’t want to lose friends.”
In Tesfa’s case, the hard line taken by Zenawi’s opponents may have backfired.
After receiving e-mails urging him to boycott the event, he said, he wanted to go.
“I’m just tired of the negativity. For once, stop this nonsense,” he said. “Now we’re supposed to be cheerleaders for one side or the other? Don’t make me a target of vile divisive e-mails. I’m glad I came.”
Le-Hagere
July 14, 2012 at 7:44 am
Sela ,
yechen hodam qerela magaletachehu tedegefalachehu. Le zefagnau yemastelalefew melekt binor ye Ethiopia hizb dem yefaredesh , lehodesh yetegezash set asedabi selehonsh lehod kemegezat le Hilinash tegezi, Hodam
Abiy Ethiopiawe
July 10, 2012 at 1:01 am
…ባንዳ ላይ ይትፉና!!!
የምን ጠጋ ጠጋ
የምን ልጥፍ ልጥፍ:-
የምን መተሻሸት
የምን ውትፍ ውትፍ::
የምን መልመጥመጥ ነው
የምን ደፋ ቀና:-
የሚፈሰው ደሙ መቼ ደረቀና::
ድንጋይ ያቀበሉ
ስንሞት ትናንትና:-
እስኪ ዛሬ ያሳዩን
ባንዳ ላይ ይትፉና::
እኮ ምን ተገኝቶ አጨብጫቢዎቹ
በዚህ በዚያ ገብተው እዚህ ተከማቹ???
ይቅርታን ነፍገው ሕዝብን እንደናቁ
እንዴት ባደባባይ ለመታየት በቁ?????
ቀረ’ኮ ይሉኝታ ቀረ’ኮ መደበቅ:-
በጉጅሌ ጉያ ሕዝብ ላይ መሳለቅ::
መሓሙድም ሆነ እነአስቴር አወቀ:-
ሕሊናቸው ትናንት የተጨማለቀ:-
ምን እንዳደረጉን ሕዝቡ እያወቀ
እንዴት ባንዲት ጀንበር ግፋቸው ተፋቀ???
ዛሬም እነሱን አይተው የሚጨማለቁ
የሕዝብ እንዲሆኑ
እውነቱን እንዲያውቁ:-
ድንጋይ ያቀበሉ
ስንሞት ትናንትና:-
እስኪ ዛሬ ያሳዩን
ባንዳ ላይ ይትፉና::
ለእነመሐሙድ አህመድ እና የኪነ-ጥበብ ባለሙያዎች::
T.Goshu
July 7, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Dear commentator Abebe Tesfa,
Yes, I agree with your very general (I hope it is your genuine comment) on how it is good to express one’s opinion in a positive and optimistic way.But, I want to tell you that those individuals and groupings who you and I are talking about have nothing to do with the alliance or partnership in tyrany or evil-driven politics of TPLF/EPRDF wihch we are concerned about.Your general and “genuine” comment has no any relevance to the very dirty game our “brothers and sisters” are badly muddling in. I do not know how it is possible and, morally and politically sounding not to tell the very hard fact about indivuals or groupings which sold out themslves and dance with a ruthless regime and its parasitic cadres and partners . It does not make any sense to beg for being “positive’ towards those who have committed a very serious betryal . I am sorry to say but I have to say that your sympathy to those “good for nothing “individuals and groups sounds very clumsy and naive. Yes ,it is desirable to target the very idiot and stupid ideas and actions of those “brothers and sisters” in an appropriate manner, not making mere personal attacks . But, I have to tell you that this works under an acceptable level of political or any other conflicts or disageements only. It has to be very clear here that the level of humuliation and suffering because of the horrible and bloody political agenda and practice in our country is absolutely out of control. It is not the question of political and socio-econmic challenges we know . The case of the innocent people of Ethiopia is a question of living with very basic human dignity or not.In short, it is a question of “to be or not to be.” The burning issue waiting for decisive and timely answer is the very survival of the country itslef.Simply put, the challenges we are facing are unbelievably monsterous . It is really outragous and nonsensical to beg for being polite and positive towards our “brothers and sisters ‘ who volunteered themselves to do a very dirty job simply to “satisfy” their very wild personal interests . Yes, I understand very well that this comment of mine sounds very harsh to people like you who are not courageous enough to call the spade spade when it is appropriate. But there is no any other way to tell about the very big and undniable behavior and practice.
Have a nice time buddy!
Mamitu
July 7, 2012 at 2:45 pm
Do we have to spend million dollars for their political propaganda while Ethiopian people starving? Our country is only for a few people how has money. 3/4 of the nation struggling with poverty . Why we need to spend this much money to pay for studium, singers like jezzy,T.I…. Ethiopia is one of the World’s poorest countries. Out of a population of around 80 million (2008) people, 35 million people are living in abject poverty. In one of the world’s poorest countries, where about 44 per cent of the population lives under the poverty line, more than 12 million people are chronically or at least periodically food insecure. Most of them live in rural areas with agriculture as their main occupation. With 80% of Ethiopians dependent on agriculture as their main livelihood, severe arid conditions due to persistent lack of rainfall coupled with civil disputes have worsened Ethiopian poverty.
Why they do not build homeless shelter, feed those poor people? When all those people suffer what makes you think you love your country. No one is willing to spend a dollar for charity.
I know Al Amoudi try his best to help the country, but his greedy uneducated selfish people around him through away money. he needs to walkup and get ride of these idiots and maniplaters from his back. They uses him only for their political agenda.
I love Al Amoudi even if I do not know him personally but I believe he did a lot of things for his country. He should dump this Assholes so he can get back his trust from people.
One ward I can say get rid off Abenet and his friends from Al Amoudi. Let him help his poor country and people. Abenet and his friends are his enemy go after his money. They create all these mess.
Abebe Tesfa
July 7, 2012 at 9:50 am
If the tournament is succeful why don’t you focus on the good thing you have going. Attacking the other side means you give them unneeded publicity and it goes against the organization which you represent. Your message should be positive not insulting individuals and group, People are tired of negativity.
T.Goshu
July 6, 2012 at 10:33 am
I read and reread the report on” the two” tournaments published in the Washigiton Post . I found it interesting beacuse the reporter has just tried to tell the story as it happened and reflected the views of both sides as well as independent commentators shuch as Lyons.
Having said this , let me express my points of view about some points of views reflected by individuals about this new but unfortunate development in the history of the tournament.
1) With regard to the impression of the reporter about this new development , I want to say that the very root cause of this very undesirable and divisive phenomenon is the tyrannical regime of Meles Zenawi . As a genuinely concerned citizen who have relatively first hand knowledge about the behavior and practice of the regime ,I strongly argue that this kind of extremely shrewd and dirty game was and is part and parcel of the major objectives, strategies and plans of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ( it is appropriate to call it Foreign Relation Department of TPLF/EPRDF) . And the most applied mechanism or the means to implement this ugly political game is targeting those individuals or groups who are vulnerable to very desperate and voracious material and finacial interests. Sadly enough, taxes from the highly poverty-stricken innocent Ethiopians should be used to finance this evil-driven behavior and action. Simply put, the owner and mastermind of this new development (the tournament ) and all other ill-guided practices is the brutal ruling elite including the prime minster’s office . It has to be clear that the challenges we face are as deep and complex as that.It is not as simple as it is decribed in the above Washigiton Post report .
2) As far as the role of “investor” Al Moudi is concerned, there is no doubt that he is the biggest sponcer for not only this new ugly development(tournament) but also so many other horrible politically motivated scandals ,if not crimes were and are being committed by the dictatorial regime . He himself repeatedly and shamefully has told the innocent people of Ethiopia in particular and the international community in general that he is ready to pay any sacrifice including his life for the sake of the survival of the ruthless regime . I have no idea whom else we believe if we do not believe the doer of the action himslf( Al Moudi). By the way, commentator Lyons tried to convince us that simply by taking the the investment Al Moudi is doing as a genuine legitimization and justification , if not execuse for his muddling in internal affairs of sport and cultural association as well as other civic orgnisations which have sincere and strong attachement with their true national interest. Dear commentator Lyons, we need to assure you that if “legitimate investment ” means getting fat and fat (in terms of wealth) through the making of very corrupt and tyrannical alliance, the innocent people of Ethiopia who are experiencing dehumanization and humuliation have to tell you not to insult their intelligence ,and leave them alone. Mr.commentator, do not worry about an investment by a guy who is part of a disasterous political game . Believe or not, if hard working and innocent people of Ethiopia secure their democratic feedom, they will make a very big miracle in developing their country with genuine invesment.
3) Dear commentator Asefa ,your idea of “…. not taking side. … sport to bridge differences. ” is fantastic. The problem is when you come to not simply words but your deeds or your real motivation that badly gavitated you toward the dirty game for the sake of not real sense of sport and bridging the gap but for the sake of securing some amount of left over money from millions of dollars donated by the biggest bad guy (Al Moudi) of the tyrannical ruling elite. That is a very hard fact which you cannot deny at all!! Alas! You are trying to pretend that the dirty game you are involved is” non-political, non-religious, and non-ethnicty.” In principle and under normal political environment, your idea is fantastic. However, the situation in our country is beyond the political games most of the world knows. It is a matter of dealing with total dehumanization or humuliation, the killing of a generation and above all the question of putting the very survival of the country at a dangerous stake and so on and so forth. So, your idea which might have something to do with your naivity or with some sort of undesirable personal motivation does not make sense at all. You said that you are “…tired of negetivity” and you told the Ethiopian people to “Stop this nonsense.” I am sorry to say but I have to say that you are really and seriously sick/ill because of your beast-like personal interest which can be treated and cured with your courageous and genuine effort to win the love of justive and the people only . That is the way it is buddy!!
Anbesse Beneberu
July 6, 2012 at 9:11 am
Please take out her picture from this page ,why we exaggerate about
her who is she?
tolla
July 6, 2012 at 2:34 am
This man called himself Netsanet Le Ethiopia is one of those guys who don’t care for the rest of the people or the suffering caused by few individuals like Meles Zenawi and Al-amudi… the man called Netsanet thinks his man Al-amudi hide everything so that Ethiopians couldn’t get the details that’s why he is trying to argue about the evidence… what an arrogant you are??? Did I hear you saying the label of thinking??? Man you have no moral to talk about patriot Ethiopians who stand for the poor you are one little traitor! Al-amudi and Zenawi have to go! Or we will make them go! Including you Mr. BANDA!
Birtu/can
July 6, 2012 at 1:47 am
“In Tesfa’s case, the hard line taken by Zenawi’s opponents may have backfired.” Hold it! Who gives a shit that Tesfa joined 99 other losers to attend Al Amoudis fiasco? In fact, it is a blessing to know that these people are in the minority and the only reason they are attending this divisive event is because they happened to be greedy bastards. I don’t know what planet Netsanet Ethiopia has been living the last 21 years. If it is on earth then you shouldn’t be looking for evidence, just use your common sense.
FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS IN ETHIOPIA!!!!
DASSENNECH
July 5, 2012 at 10:12 pm
It is so funny, Millions dollar attracted 100 people, it is a good deal, isn’t it? so the organizers must have made good blood money. Good luck guys, one day you may testify in front of justice or ICC.
Tedla Asfaw
July 5, 2012 at 8:29 pm
Al Amoudi in Ethiopia is Woyane. In Saudi he is Wahibi, in Sweden he is something else. Al Amoudi is taking land illegally by displacing Ethiopians the proof is there. AL Amoudi is owning our gold dividing profit between him and Meles/Azeb. Al Amoudi in Ethiopia is a cover for Woyane and he is our enemy. If that is not enough for Nestanet Ethiopia it is his or her problem. Al Amoudi is our enemy, period.
Neasanet Ethiopia
July 5, 2012 at 8:08 pm
When I read the comments of readers in Eth. websites, it shows the stage of development we find ourselves in. Whereas the articles of the contributors are well researched without bias and to the point. I always read comments vilifying Alamoudi wihout having hard evidence except herasay. No lengty researchd article has been written about his business empire in Eth. b/c there is no information except press release on the activities or the investment volume and profits by his conglomerate. The way I see it is as follows: Alamoudi would not have survived a day if he did not pretend to be a woyane supporter. He knows he is dealing with a bunch of thugs who would no hesitate to destroy his business interests in Eth. Alamoudi has businesses in a number of countries have you ever heard negative comments about him in those contries? He was awarded by the King of Sweden for his outstanding contribution
to Swedens ceconomy. And what do we do, we vilify a man who has invested billions. Folks, it skows we have a lond way to go go.
Al Zerafew
July 5, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Hode First aka Ethiopian First posted pictures and videos about July 4 concert at at RFK paid by Al Amoudi/Lebawe. 99.6 percent of the people were non Ethiopians. The pictures tell it all. Meles Zenawi and the picture of Al Amoudi/Lebawe were absent. Woyane tried to clone American Independence Day as Woyane Day in DC.
The 99.6 percent were misinformed about the crime of the organizers. Once they know it they will distance themselves from these criminals who were spending blood money in DC.
Come tomorrow at 3pm RFK will be occupied by Ethiopian patriots to flush out Woyanes. See you tomorrow !!!!
Belihu Mankelkilot
July 5, 2012 at 1:44 pm
“—fewer than 100 people on hand that day ” Is it my eye problem or read it correctly?? Help me.
That day is the opening day and it is in DC, where > 200, 000 Ethiopians reside.
WHAT FRUSTRATING TO THE ORGANIZERS ?? At the same time what a clear message to those betrayals?
BUT, note that the attendants make over 20,000 USD if they take the 2 Million USD among themselves.That is a good sum for those prepared to sell themselves. Do not forget history registered the event.
Shame on you to giving a topic to an article to Washington post. Trying to change the Unity forum in to division, you failed and Ethiopians proved their Unity in Dallas, Celeberating.
baburr
July 5, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Alamoudin’s money can only attract 100 people. I am amazed at the remark by the guy who said Alamoudin is engaged in a legitimate development. Does he know that Alamoudin does not pay tax. The only money he pays is bribe to the woyane politbureau and in return he gets land without concession and a special privilege to do what he likes. What is legitimate about this?