Dr. Abiy Ali – MinBane

Ethiopia: Venable LLP hired to clean Abiy’s tarnished image

It is now reported that the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE) have hired the lobbying firm Venable LLP to promote Ethiopia in the United States of America (USA). This is not the first time an African Warlord or President with conflicts is hiring lobbyist to “clean-up” their image abroad. It is all done to sway the U.S. Congress and get a favourable tune from the White House. Because, the broken Washington D.C. is for sale and everyone can be bought, apparently.

Venable LLP had 81 clients in 2020 and spent $7,400,000 in lobbying fees for various of causes. The Venable LLP had 44 lobbyist working for them last year.

What is striking is the two fellas that is representing Ethiopia in Washington D.C. is Thomas Quinn and Loren Aho. Open Secrets says Quinn speciality is Taxation by a vast margin and Defence. While Aho have also Defence as speciality. This is not government affairs or foreign affairs, which is where the Ethiopian government needs help to sway public opinion about the war in Tigray and all the other atrocities across the Republic.

On a FARA form filed by Quinn on the 4^th February 2021. Quinn is an attorney and a partner in the company. It states that he has three foreign principals his working for as a foreign agent. In his filing, these are: “Embassy of Ethiopia, Embassy of the State of Qatar & Hong Kong Trade Development Council”. This means that works for these others as well. While banking the thousands of dollars per month from Addis Ababa. We can wonder how much Qatar and HKDC is paying him too.

The Ethiopian Embassy is paying Venable LLP US$35,000 per month. When they have a taxation expert and minor lobbyist on his payroll. The company has an outreach and has a big team. Though, the two who is handling this has this history. This is information in the public domain from ProPublica and OpenSecrets. It is not like the American lobbyists isn’t looked into, as a public oversight to their actions and how they influence U.S. Congress.

That Quinn and Aho is hired to this is to whitewash and make Abiy’s government look good in the public eye in the US. It is to get Committee’s to act in favour of Addis Ababa. That is why they have hired these fellows. Where they are trying to sway and swing things in their direction. So, that they are not sanctioned or embargoed in any way. Especially, now that they are going into an election, warfare in Tigray and other lingering conflicts across the Republic.

Prime Minister Abiy has hired these guys to look good. That is the reason. As his team isn’t able to get positive headlines in Western Media and the use of this as a platform to get that. This is why regimes like this uses lobbyists to become “cleansed” from the “bloodstains” abroad. Also, to ensure their leadership and legitimacy across the board. In a manner, which they get vouched for by the International Community.

It is ironic that Abiy does this, as he holds a grip on local-media and accreditation of foreign media houses too. Just give people a pass, if they follows his guidelines and writes his stories. If they don’t, then they are banished from the Republic. Peace.

Ethiopia: Prosperity Party plans to either assimilate or punish former cadres of the TPLF

Re: Concerning sending new PP members and ex-TPLF members — As stated in the title, we want to notify you to provide all necessary assistance to the members of our Prosperity Party and their assistants that we are sending to establish the foundations for our party. The second agenda concerns recruiting all ex-TPLF members to be PP members and to do all necessary surveillance lest they have any kind of communication with TPLF. In case there are any cadres that look suspicious to our party, all necessary measures must be taken against them as stated in the letter dated Nov 14, 2013. Sihul Michael Head of Tigray’s Prosperity Party

This is news is coming as the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) have cancelled the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The NEBE have rescinded the political party license of the TPLF. Meaning the TPLF isn’t a party in their registrars anymore.

However, just as the Law Enforcement Operation in the Tigray region continues. The Prosperity Party have an Interim Government appointed by Addis Ababa. The PP plans to further their powers in the region. Not only crush the armed paramilitary group affiliated with the TPLF. They are also planning to takeover the masses of members too.

The Prosperity Party is planning to take the members, the cadres and the ones who are participating in the party. In the party that it has deemed as “terrorist”. This means the PP seem to be into the idea of boosting its membership by taking away the members of TPLF. That is clearly in ambition to ensure the PP have grounds and popularity in Mekelle.

The PP needs the public on its side. Even if they have been doing warfare since 3^rd November 2020 in the region. They still need support and friendly faces. That is now a mission to convert TPLF cadres to the PP: From the same government that has killed former Ministers and civilians for 3 months in the area.

The PP has a hard cause. The ones who does switch allegiance now is betraying the Tigray and their cause. That is just what happens. They are either traitors at home or heroes in Addis. In a conflict like this. The ones switching will be marked and be moles. This is why the initial drive to do is will only cause more damage to the TPLF. Which in the end is a victory for PP:

However, the PP seems to be ideologically bankrupt, if they are willing to convert and let TPLF cadres become members. This means the ones who is the sole reason for this Operation Law Enforce is apparently good enough to get assimiliated into the party. Which means they couldn’t be as evil or dangerous as they said. Even though the PP will by this order use all neccessary means. What does that mean? Does that mean arrest, detention or execution? So does that mean, that if they are vetted and suddenly not following the orders. Then they are fair game and practically get hurt. Hurt in manner, which isn’t stated directly in the letter.

That shows the sinister side of the PP. They have already come out last year with a selective recruitment process. This is a continuation of that, but on in the Tigray region. Where they are accepting the TPLF cadres are either “welcome” or possibly “Dead Men Walking”. Seems like a horrific method of adding new members to a political party. Especially, if this party is supposed to reform and come in peace. Peace.

Ethiopia: The Prosperity Party plans a selective recruitment process…

The Prosperity Party have launched their strategies ahead. It is an insightful prospect in the months ahead. As the ruling regime have a three month scope ahead, which was released the Finfinne Intercept.

The PP are intending to invite the ministers, state ministers, commissioners and directors. Who are yet to become members of the party. They are also planning recruitment of scholars and those who are primly qualified for senior management. The party plans to have people from all zones, districts (woreda) and wards (kebele).

They are not planning to get the visionaries, but only the people who will follow the future and realize the national prosperity. Where the party is avoiding getting the resilient ones who want to change the world order. That follows the party program and constitution, but not the ones whose willing to chance to change it.

The PP continues that they don’t want to recruit people from the primly ideologically biased from the 60 generations of the oppressed. Where there will be an independent training of the recruits and paper, which will be developed by the Office of Prosperity.

This shows that the PP plans to have the ones that are only working for their cause and not the voices of dissident. The PP doesn’t want the ones whose oppressed. The party doesn’t want the writers and scholars who stand for the oppressed.

The PP is afraid of the educated and the scholars, who becomes members and would expose their misdeeds. For the oppressed and the ones who will tell. The PP just want members who are blind followers and who follows protocol.

This is all clearly another method of the party to ensure they have no dissent. Another step showing the rebranding of PP and the whole government of Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy.

We can take that as a sign of the leadership, as the PP has a significant plan for their recruitment. If this is how its going forward. It is a clear warning of how they will behave and as a one-party state. It is evident that dissidents will suffer and the party will shield the oppression.

That is the sort of behaviour, which is clearly a thing now. I’m just awaiting the time for the PP to denounce this report and say its isn’t what they meant. Because, this is really showing their true character and it’s not looking good. Peace.