August 29

On the third of September, 2005, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia will come to Oslo to receive Yara’s first African Green revolution prize.

The awarding by Yara of their first African Green Revolution Prize to PM Meles Zenawi has become a controversial issue in the Norwegian political arena in the last few weeks. Both Yara and relevant Norwegian authorities have been under pressure from organisations and individuals in Norway and abroad to withdraw the award.

After many appeals to Norwegian politicians and public and private institutions, the Norwegian government, to Ethiopian people’s joy and relief, has distanced itself from the award and will boycott the ceremony.
“Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik of Norway says no to Yara’s invitation to attend the presentation of a prize to Ethiopian dictator,” is the front-page headline of Norway’s most prestigious daily newspaper Aftenposten. At this point we feel it appropriate to express our gratitude to PM Bondevik for taking the side of right and justice.

According to Aftenposten all cabinet ministers invited have declined to attend, including the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Trade and Industry (whose ministry is a major shareholder in Yara).
The only representative of the Norwegian government who is planning to attend the ceremony is Ministerial Secretary Leiv Lunde of the Foreign Ministry. Lunde said that there had been much discussion as to whether a representative of the Foreign Ministry should attend or not. At this point we may reasonably wonder why a representative of the Foreign Ministry should attend the awarding of the prize when the PM himself has declined. Does this mean that there is some kind of conflict between political principle and foreign trade?

Another widely read Norwegian newspaper, Dagsavisen, reports that two of Norway’s most celebrated artistes, Sissel Kyrkjebø and Mari Boine, who were scheduled to entertain the invited guests at the ceremony in Oslo Concert House, will shortly cancel the agreement they have entered into with Yara. Their sudden decision came after many Norwegians and Ethiopians had informed them of PM Meles Zenawi’s true colours.
Arne cartridge, Yara’s media spokesperson, said to Aftenposten, “We have invited around 800 guests to participate in the ceremony”. He also stated that the invitations they had sent had met a mixed reception, and added that he did not wish to go into detail.
This is the writing on the wall for PM Meles Zenawi, and the message is clear. Time is running out for Meles and his ruling party, who cannot carry on conning donors with their fake façade of democracy in Ethiopia.

Does Prime Minister Meles Zenawi have the guts to come to Oslo in such an atmosphere?

Oslo August 28, 2005
The anti 2005 Yara-award committee Norway

Great job! I am proud of you.

Yebret Kolo

May God bless you guys, all participated in the Anti Yara Award Committee!!! Much respect to what you have done!!!




May God bless the Great Ethiopia and its people!!!

An International Rejection It is an embarassment for anybody with a sesne of self worth. Meles must write a long letter to the PM of Norway to expose his (Norawgian government's) pack of lies.

Mamo Qilo

This is a sweet fruit of very few dedicated Ethiopians effort. Imagine what will happen if more of us who live across the globe engage in exposing what PM Meles and his discredited ethnic politics is doing to Ethiopia.

If we are more vocal and organized, even organizations like Yara will realize that their profit interests cannot be served well by ignoring the wishes of Ethiopians to free themselves from dictatorship. Meles will not be in power forever. And people he persecuted, detained, and tortured will not be interested to trade with the likes of Yara that award their tormentor.

Let's continue the information campaign working with students, churches, mosques, civic organizations... wherever we live.

When a foreign Minister of Norway decided to be part of the conspiracy against the 73 millions Ethiopians, what the Ethiopians are thinking to take the kind of action against Norway's interest in Ethiopia and in Africa? Are there embassies in Africa (Ethiopia) to pay the prize to the crime their foreign minister is intending to do supporting a murderer and guerrilla leader Ethiopian ruler? No body has the right to punish the Ethiopian people intentionally. If you go with your profit and benefit calculated interest against the Ethiopian people, one day you will pay price by brave Ethiopians. Don't see, as all Ethiopians are the same the way you are looking them in your screen when they get hungry because of leadership failure. You have to know we are the oldest people in the globe. Go to Ethiopia and look the thousands of years remains created by brave Ethiopia. Ethiopia has thousands of years History. Don't portray her with picture started since the past 20 years. Watch out your action. Respect comes from both sides.
The Ethiopian people also know the ordinary Norwegian people has nothing to do with the profit hungry company(Yara) and few racist intellectuals who don’t want to see Africa become part of the peace and prosperous world. They are using dictators and criminals such as meles for this purpose.
i again say to Ethiopians back home to keep their eyes closly towards the Norway Embassy and other organization using names such as NGO for different and personal reasons.

Email: Justice@hotmail.com