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Ethiopia : Open letter to Ambassador Girma Birru
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Ethiopia : Open letter to Ambassador Girma Birru
Ethiopia : Open letter to Ambassador Girma Birru
By Fekade Shewakena
Ato Girma Birru,
Ambassador of Ethiopia to the United States of America
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
I am an Ethiopian who lives in suburban Maryland and works for the NIH/NCI, a research institution in Bethesda, Maryland. I am writing this open letter to you in all sincerity and with all the intent to be constructive. At the same time, I want to give you the opportunity to make amends and useful changes so that the egregious mistakes committed by the embassy at the April 9 meeting on Howard University campus should not happen again. I understand that it has been a few months since you have taken your current position and know it is unfair to put all the blame on you personally. I want to point to you, however, where the problem came from and what you could have done to avert some of the unnecessary practices of the embassy that, above all else, harm the country we all love and what you may be able to do in the future. My interest in writing this is not also to make any personal or political hay out of what was done to me on April 9, 2011 when I was summarily denied entry to the meeting hall by your screeners at the entrance. I only use myself as an example to show you the larger picture.
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
I was formally invited by an embassy staffer, a decent Ethiopian, who happens to know me and my views and who, on more than one occasion, had a civil discussion and debate with me. When I drove 20 miles from my home that morning to Howard University, the only preparation I made was read the 158-page document entitled: “The Growth and Transformation Plan.” I was not prepared for what I was going to face at the entrance of the hall. I believed the messages you put out on the media that all of us, irrespective of our views, were welcome to the meeting. How can I suspect that a person of your position could give out a false public announcement? First, I faced the wrath of the protestors as I was crossing their picket lines. Then I met the people who were deployed by the embassy to man the gate, and do the sad job of screening participants and deciding what type of Ethiopian should be let in and what type should be kept out. I was told I was ineligible to enter and saw many people being returned from entering. One screener told me in the face that he reads my writings on the Internet and that the meeting is not for my kind of people. I asked him if this was the policy of the embassy and he told me yes. He further told me, and I quote him verbatim: “ante Tigre Titela Yelem ende min litisera Metah” (አንተ ትግሬ ትጠላ የለም እንዴ? ምን ልትሰራ መጣህ?). There were a lot of media people, including from the VOA, a reporter for Howard University students’ paper, and a television crew right behind me who witnessed the event. Obviously the individual, who is an ethnic Tigrean, has conflated my criticism of the government with hating Tigreans. I felt sorry for him. I know this notion exists and he is not the only person who believes this kind of crap. Obviously, he doesn’t have a clue that there are a lot of Tigreans in my family that I love and that some of my best friends are Tigeans. I wanted to tell him that hatred thrives in his kind of little heads. I also had some more beautiful words to describe and educate him with, but since the area on both sides of the picket line was filled with many epithets, I didn’t want to add to that and spoil an ongoing party and left the place. But at least for a moment, I felt both the pain and courage of the people in my country who are in and out of prison for expressing their views and the many who have to flee the country because of that. When my friend, Dr. Fitsum Achamyeleh, a human rights lawyer by profession, who falls through the cracks of the screeners and braved to ask some inconvenient questions, told me that he was threatened with physical attack by some thugs on your side, only for asking a question, I felt relieved I didn’t come in. Given a chance, I would have asked you some uncomfortable questions, including the economic meaning about the “burn the village in order to save it” policy you are currently doing in Western Ethiopia, by selling land at dirt-cheap prices, evicting the population at will, and making them work for the agro-business tycoons for a slave labor of $0.73 cents a day, and I would have asked you to show me on a map of Ethiopia, the places that your government claims has no owners.
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
From what I have come to learn about the same meetings held in other cities, the discrimination you instituted in DC was not an isolated case. It is disturbingly systematic and occurred in a pattern. I know your government has various ambitious economic plans and mega projects a number of which are planned with zero dollars set aside, and require wide and huge public participation. Many of us want to help but you are closing the door on us. I can’t, for the life of me, understand where you and your government get this idea that you can galvanize massive public support for mega projects and achieve economic development while at the same time creating a breeding ground for social and political conflict and upheaval.
Dear Ambassador,
I have heard many on your side blame the protestors for all the disturbances that took place that day. But to be frank with you, once I was summarily denied entry to the meeting hall, my sympathies were with the protestors. I myself was the proof to the point they were trying to make. You may all want to use them as scapegoats for the failure of such a big meeting for which poor Ethiopian tax payers paid expensively. To be honest with you, I saw the protestors standing on a higher moral ground than the embassy, the organizers and your government. You may all want to caricature the protestors in any way you want, and give them any name you like. The truth is that these were good Ethiopians who love their country and want to contribute positively given the right environment. I have seen doctors, engineers and lawyers and business people among them and many young and educated Ethiopians. I personally was contemplating about taking sabbatical to help in the socioeconomic and environmental survey of the proposed mega dam.
If you were serious about solving problems and needed their support for the projects in Ethiopia, you could have simply done the following. You could have gone out to where they were demonstrating, grab a bullhorn and demand that they listen to you. I believe they would. You can ask them to give you representatives from among them to talk to and tell them that you will let them in, promise them that you will allow half the questions in the hall would be for opponents of the government, and half for your supporters, and demand from them that you want them to be civil. I believe they would have accepted it or if they refuse, you could have taken the moral high ground from them. Had you thought about this possibility beforehand, you didn’t need to buss people from other cities to fill the seats in the hall. That was the courageous thing to do. Sneaking in and out through the back door and avoiding facing them was not. At the end of the day, it looked like that you were interested in the politics of it rather than the economic transformation you were talking about. That was what they were accusing you and in many ways you seemed to have proven.
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
To give you some clarity and, by way of my example, help you understand the motive of most of the people who stood on the other side of the picket line on April 9, please allow me to briefly describe myself to you. I am a critic of your government who often writes commentaries on many matters Ethiopian. I don’t do it in hiding and always made sure that I have written my name and address on my commentaries. I live most of my adult life around academia doing teaching and research and understand how important it is to have my facts and data straight before opening my mouth or write anything. I exercise self doubt and don’t allow myself to be overwhelmed by the conventional wisdom. I account when I make mistakes, and I make a lot of them. I love passionate, reasoned and civil debate. You may also want to know that I have, on many occasions, cooperated with the embassy when I believed the interests of our country and people weigh more than the differences I have with the government. I confess that I had done that even if it often meant I have to hold my nose and do it. One such case was the Ethio-Eritrean war (1998-2000). I was one of a few key people who coordinated various kinds of support and fund raising for the war effort. I was very eager to take that same energy towards fighting the obscene poverty in our country. I literally begged Ambassador Berhane Gebrekiristos, his deputy Ato Fisha Adugna who were in your place at the time, and Ato Abay Tsehaye, who I happened to meet at about the same time, to open up the country for a little more democracy, exercise tolerance, empty the prisons of political prisoners, and direct that massive energy and goodwill for the good of the country and our suffering people.
I even helped organize a community meeting with Ato Meles Zenawi and spoke at the meeting pleading with him for tolerance and little democracy. I crossed picket lines to do that. Many among the protestors you saw on April 9, 2011 have been at the forefront of this effort. That experiment failed miserably. It failed mainly because of the obstinacy of your government and partly because a number of individuals who were actively doing this with me decided to use the access the event created for them to government officials, to carve out some space for themselves or collect government perks and favors. The slogan of these perk seekers as I remember it at the time was “a defeated shabia and a bruised woyane is good for me”. Many of these perk seeking individuals are still here and I am told they run around the embassy and helped organize the event on April 9. I often hear them these days claim that they have defeated the Diaspora opposition to your government and that, what is left of off it are only a few trouble makers. If you have believed them, as I suspect you and many officials might, I think you are making a serious mistake. Perhaps the perk seekers have told you that there will be three protestors on April 9 at Howard University. These perk seekers are beneficiaries of the polarization. It is their business and they have thrived in it. But I can frankly tell you that the hostility and opposition to your government is as it has always been if not worse. The lull in intensity, in my view, is mainly due to the frustration that resulted from the senseless division within the opposition.
Dear Mr. Ambassador,
It is not too late to make amends. First, apologize to the community. Apologies don’t kill people nor do they reduce any respect for you or your government. Call another free meeting. Approach the community leaders and talk to them. Ask the community to organize independently and take part in at least a section of a development project in Ethiopia. Put a check on government perk seekers. They will not bring any meaningful idea or investment to Ethiopia. Stop paying some of the people who have rented radio stations to shower the community with bizarre analysis and insult the community.
Study the model created during the Ethio Eritrean war. Although I have difference with their views, I have a lot of respect for Ambassador Berhane G Kirstos and his Deputy Fisha Adugna for being willing to attend a massive meeting of Ethiopians of diverse views (more than ten times the one you had on April 9) organized by their opponents and critics. They were, of course heckled and were asked to answer inconvenient questions. They stood their ground and told the cowed it is their country that they shouldn’t let down in time of its need. The result was a massive cooperation and unity that I have never seen. As I stated above, it failed largely because of your governments extremist politics. If you are sincere about fighting poverty instead of using it for political purposes as many Ethiopians suspect, and as the actions of your government suggest, you have to summon the courage to do these tough things. You can include me among the people who would help. Please sir, don’t play politics with our tragic poverty. As you are well aware, there is a storm gathering all around our country. God give you the wisdom to see it.
Thank you and please accept the highest of my regards.
60 comments
Comment from: Yosef [Visitor]
Good to adress the Ambassador because the title sounds so good.
But the reality on the ground is that the country is being ruled by the ONE MAN (Mles Zenawi) dictator from the ONE PARTY dictatorship (tplf)
All others are fake tplf(Tigrian Peoples Liberation Front)organized powerless support slave organizations put together as friction absorbing insulation cotton to protect the one party dictatorship and its one man dictator the justice and democracy demanding population. Our kilometers of appeals better directed to the tyrant dictator rather than to his powerless payed running home servants.
But the reality on the ground is that the country is being ruled by the ONE MAN (Mles Zenawi) dictator from the ONE PARTY dictatorship (tplf)
All others are fake tplf(Tigrian Peoples Liberation Front)organized powerless support slave organizations put together as friction absorbing insulation cotton to protect the one party dictatorship and its one man dictator the justice and democracy demanding population. Our kilometers of appeals better directed to the tyrant dictator rather than to his powerless payed running home servants.
04/15/11 @ 03:33
Comment from: haile [Visitor]
Thanks Fekade Shewakena! It is a remarkable open letter. It includes the remedies and the facts.
Please, Ambassador act now! Before the war to Eretria starts. How is possible on one hand the war dram and on the other the millennium dam? You know also the reality is the opposite, to misdirect a direction against the coming freedom, justice and democracy revolutionary uprising, but the Ethiopian people wait the right time to start. Once again hopefully with fierce and committed straggle and God, the EPRDF will bow before the people of Ethiopia and God. I want to encourage every fellow Ethiopians to face the challenge until the full change presents in Ethiopia land.
Fierce and strict straggle must pay is the only way to freedom road map to future Ethiopia.
Haile
Please, Ambassador act now! Before the war to Eretria starts. How is possible on one hand the war dram and on the other the millennium dam? You know also the reality is the opposite, to misdirect a direction against the coming freedom, justice and democracy revolutionary uprising, but the Ethiopian people wait the right time to start. Once again hopefully with fierce and committed straggle and God, the EPRDF will bow before the people of Ethiopia and God. I want to encourage every fellow Ethiopians to face the challenge until the full change presents in Ethiopia land.
Fierce and strict straggle must pay is the only way to freedom road map to future Ethiopia.
Haile
04/15/11 @ 04:23
Comment from: Hailu [Visitor]
Ato Fekade, I read many times your article on the internet. You love your country so much like any other Ethiopian. However, you are denied to serve your people in your country by Weyane regime. I appreciate the comment
you made to advise the ambassador to work for the Ethiopian people and his country.
Thank you
you made to advise the ambassador to work for the Ethiopian people and his country.
Thank you
04/15/11 @ 05:19
Comment from: SF [Visitor]
@ Mr. Fekade,
What are you talking about?
Please do not ask or beg your democratic right from anyone.Instead prepare to fight all antidemocratic gouvernment,institutions,person,...Nobody gives your democratic right as a gift. It is with your own hand.
Do not be a right idiot.
What are you talking about?
Please do not ask or beg your democratic right from anyone.Instead prepare to fight all antidemocratic gouvernment,institutions,person,...Nobody gives your democratic right as a gift. It is with your own hand.
Do not be a right idiot.
04/15/11 @ 06:05
Comment from: ejole bishoftu [Visitor]
Dear Fekade,
I am sorry for what happened to you.There is no room for differences in Ethiopian politics.Most Weyane cadres are working just for their stomach not for the people.
I am sorry for what happened to you.There is no room for differences in Ethiopian politics.Most Weyane cadres are working just for their stomach not for the people.
04/15/11 @ 06:13
Comment from: Satenaw [Visitor]
Gashe Fekade shewakna the undisputed commentator of Ethiopian politics is back in style telling the newly appointed woyanne house nigro & dog Girma biru to reinvent the wheel & turn to humankind. Which is a big ask, I have to confess!!!! Gashe Fekade that is a good personal account and lesson to all of us. From various events and incidents, we have discovered the roles of the "kehadiwoch" - Bandas, Hodams and even anti-Meles Tigreans who aspire for power with pretext of protecting the interest of the Tigrean people.
The Hodams, Bands and new/former cadres of TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) have played big roles and are still playing important roles in prolonging the dictators' rule. They come in all forms and act as bridges between the supporters of Meles inside Ethiopia and outside, saboteurs and informers. They have increasingly become important and play significant roles in maintaining the present regime authority. They are huge obstacles to changes because they live for their bellies. The Regime cadres are every where & even on this site work day & night to intimidate & infuriate others.
Almost all the regime cadres who are writing pro TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) comments after posted articles in here & many Ethiopian related websites that allow commentaries come from AIGA forum and assume fake Oromo or Muslim names to deceive readers. It might have come from one or few IP addresses. Because they assume different aliases and use different names, it seems these are comments by many people for the unsuspecting audience. These AIGA forum Tigre cyber dogs are unsuccessful & fall-flat on their face attempting to intimidate and silence Professor Alemayehu & others but we know their wickedness is backfiring on them. very few of them are tech savvy and they use proxy servers to disguise their IP address. Unfortunately, they are infesting these as well as other websites to the extent that sober discussions on well written articles are no longer possible. Be aware of them as these rabid Tigre dogs never stop barking.
God made a few great heads like Fekade shewakena’s and Professor Alemayehu G/mariam's & the rest he covered with hair!!!
The Hodams, Bands and new/former cadres of TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) have played big roles and are still playing important roles in prolonging the dictators' rule. They come in all forms and act as bridges between the supporters of Meles inside Ethiopia and outside, saboteurs and informers. They have increasingly become important and play significant roles in maintaining the present regime authority. They are huge obstacles to changes because they live for their bellies. The Regime cadres are every where & even on this site work day & night to intimidate & infuriate others.
Almost all the regime cadres who are writing pro TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) comments after posted articles in here & many Ethiopian related websites that allow commentaries come from AIGA forum and assume fake Oromo or Muslim names to deceive readers. It might have come from one or few IP addresses. Because they assume different aliases and use different names, it seems these are comments by many people for the unsuspecting audience. These AIGA forum Tigre cyber dogs are unsuccessful & fall-flat on their face attempting to intimidate and silence Professor Alemayehu & others but we know their wickedness is backfiring on them. very few of them are tech savvy and they use proxy servers to disguise their IP address. Unfortunately, they are infesting these as well as other websites to the extent that sober discussions on well written articles are no longer possible. Be aware of them as these rabid Tigre dogs never stop barking.
God made a few great heads like Fekade shewakena’s and Professor Alemayehu G/mariam's & the rest he covered with hair!!!
04/15/11 @ 07:24
Comment from: C'moi senait [Visitor]
Why begging this begger chiggaaram?
You shold have speat on his face.
You shold have speat on his face.
04/15/11 @ 08:35
Comment from: Joseph [Visitor]
I am sure you are an educated person as you mentioned in your letter, however, your statement is missing that developmewnt is not by force. The government of ethiopia first of all should think developing the people instead of putting them in the prison. It is too late now for this government to make it things right while the majority of the people marginalized. You did not give care about selling lands in your case which is the beginning of the death of all ethiopians freedom.The best thing my brother study the hidden agenda behind selling the land for 99 years to Arabs. Who sell the land the abesha from arabia whose land they sell African ethiopians.
Thanks
Thanks
04/15/11 @ 08:44
Comment from: zella [Visitor]
Mr. Fekade Shewakena
You fell to critsize those diaspora and hateful individuals who make it hard for participants to freely exersise their rihgt to take part in the meeting.How you conduct a peaceful gathering in the premeditated action of disturbance and violence?.This indivduals and their groups always preach about democracy but absent to exesise it,they only use it as a taking point to discredit and vilify those who oppose their view.You may have a point but it is one sided to justify the actions of those arrogants.
You fell to critsize those diaspora and hateful individuals who make it hard for participants to freely exersise their rihgt to take part in the meeting.How you conduct a peaceful gathering in the premeditated action of disturbance and violence?.This indivduals and their groups always preach about democracy but absent to exesise it,they only use it as a taking point to discredit and vilify those who oppose their view.You may have a point but it is one sided to justify the actions of those arrogants.
04/15/11 @ 09:35
Comment from: Burhanu kebede [Visitor]
Fikade Shiwa.Let me tell you something
Dear.The person who did not let you go
to the meeting he did wrong you are eth-
iopoian and you have right to go.
But if I compare you and Tamagne Beyene'
the Diferent is Tamagan Beyene he hates
Weyane but he doesn.t Tigrayn as much as
you.I know you very well since Ethio.
Eritrea war.Even if you see any Tigryan
or some one speaks Tigrigna You eye tears Blood.
That it True.I repect Tamagen alway I
watch him on you tube.He hate woyane and
I do not care about it. I have problem
with governmet with a lot of issues but
peole like you have haterd and you have
to stop.
Dear.The person who did not let you go
to the meeting he did wrong you are eth-
iopoian and you have right to go.
But if I compare you and Tamagne Beyene'
the Diferent is Tamagan Beyene he hates
Weyane but he doesn.t Tigrayn as much as
you.I know you very well since Ethio.
Eritrea war.Even if you see any Tigryan
or some one speaks Tigrigna You eye tears Blood.
That it True.I repect Tamagen alway I
watch him on you tube.He hate woyane and
I do not care about it. I have problem
with governmet with a lot of issues but
peole like you have haterd and you have
to stop.
04/15/11 @ 10:03
Comment from: Seleshi Ketema [Visitor]
Greetings to Ato Fekade,
I have read your open letter to Ato Girma Biru. I have been touched with many of the great points that you have mentioned on your letter to the Ambassador. If the Ethipian government and their officials where ever they may be use your letter as a blueprint to reach out all Ethiopians regardless of their political veiws, the Ethiopian government and its officials around the World would have a high moral ground plus they would be more successful on the grand mission of the government moving the country forward and fighting poverty in Ethiopia.
I thank you for your open letter and your honest analysis of the April 9th events In Washington DC area.
I have read your open letter to Ato Girma Biru. I have been touched with many of the great points that you have mentioned on your letter to the Ambassador. If the Ethipian government and their officials where ever they may be use your letter as a blueprint to reach out all Ethiopians regardless of their political veiws, the Ethiopian government and its officials around the World would have a high moral ground plus they would be more successful on the grand mission of the government moving the country forward and fighting poverty in Ethiopia.
I thank you for your open letter and your honest analysis of the April 9th events In Washington DC area.
04/15/11 @ 10:33
Comment from: kul [Visitor]
@Fekade Shewakena
Thank you very much for exposing the evil deeds of those ‘perk seekers’. I couldn’t believe seeing big Ethiopian government officials meet and greet with people like Negussie W/Marian and Solomon Tekalign. I am still laughing out loud. One must really be out of his/her mind to take Solomon Tekalign seriously. Wow!!!!
Thank you very much for exposing the evil deeds of those ‘perk seekers’. I couldn’t believe seeing big Ethiopian government officials meet and greet with people like Negussie W/Marian and Solomon Tekalign. I am still laughing out loud. One must really be out of his/her mind to take Solomon Tekalign seriously. Wow!!!!
04/15/11 @ 10:44
Comment from: mamo [Visitor]
Denkame alech zinjoro!
You are good in creating and spicing stories. You have never done anything good to our society. You are what we call hod-ader who is only after the stomach. It is sad that you too are a son of Ethiopia. what a shame Shewakena
You are good in creating and spicing stories. You have never done anything good to our society. You are what we call hod-ader who is only after the stomach. It is sad that you too are a son of Ethiopia. what a shame Shewakena
04/15/11 @ 10:46
Comment from: ፊታውራሪ Free [Member]
I personally was contemplating about taking sabbatical to help in the socioeconomic and environmental survey of the proposed mega dam.
Dear Fekade Shewakena, I second your open letter to Ambasador Girma Birru who is one of the most reputed and respected higher official in the woyane circle. It is my hope that he will forward an apology to the community, minus the shabean messengers and block headed Ethiopian activists such as Elias Kifle, on behalf of his truly corrupt and oppressive government. More over, it is my hope that he will call another meeting amongst all Ethiopians irrespective of political and ethnic affiliation to mend our differences and design an effective method to rally behind the critical and major project. In my humble opinion, the success of this project is as equally important as, if not more, the implementation of democratic political system in our country. That is why i have been calling all Ethiopians to put a side our qualms for a second and show a united support for this project. If taking back Badime deserved the kind of support you guys have organized a little more than a decade ego, certainly Abay deserves even more. This project demands the kind of unity Ethiopians demonstrated during the battle of Adwa and you guys have repeated against Shabea. We shall not be like Woyanes who has not only stood a side during the Somalia war but also were fighting the same Ethiopian forces who was battling against a foreign invading force. History has it that the Cuban Soldiers were more Ethiopian than the woyane bandits. Unfortunately, it is them who are asking as to rally behind an Ethiopian cause, and we shall since we are different from them. We are always Ethiopians! I loved your letter mainly because of that single statement i quote, it just shows where you stand as an Ethiopian. It shows your level of maturity and selflessness. Thank you, Sir!
Satenaw, don't just trumpet after him whenever he posts an article. Read it, try to understand it, and learn something from it, if u can. Clearly, this honorable man is inclined to agree with my ideas, than yours(oh well, u don't have any idea to begin with, do you?). And yet, that doesn't stop you from hurling a bombardment of insults on me while blessing Gashe all nicities you can think of. It is like the Woyane cadre's syndrome, when a word comes of out of Meles, it is truthful and worthy of dying for, but when the same thing is said by an adversary it is something vile and evil. Don't be a blind follower and supporter, think for yourself. For instance, i remember disagreeing with this writer on a note he made regarding Gibe. I believe, Fekade would agree with me that entertaining and discussing our differences in civilized way within the opposition strengthens us, not the other way around. And, respecting our differences and discussing and debating them amongst opposing parties will only strengthen our Ethiopia, not the other way around. In fact, that what Fekade is calling for in this letter. Unfortunately, it is a reason enough for you start cursing and insulting. That is why i demanded you grow up and educate urself i lil bit more...
04/15/11 @ 11:15
Comment from: Ethiopiawinet [Visitor]
Gash Fekade,
What has got into your mind Gashie? You mentioned VOA, also said breeding ground for social and political conflict and upheaval, and so on.
I said time and time all of you guys have same line of opinions and repeat the same things. Have your ancestors taught you to memorize these lines. They told u not to get off these beautiful lines. That's why we don't get along.
Imagine Ato Said wrote an article on economics and what kind of comment laid down. They called him terrorist by terrorists like Akraris and co. like Addis Zemen. Why? He is a moslem Ethiopian though never committed a crime. On the other hand they will never call you a terrorist even if you tried or said kill Meles. Why? Your religion is like theirs.
So do you think those people are normal and is ok to live with them in one country?
Regarding politics, you also behave like those akraris. You want only that suits you and you don't want hear or see the other side of the coin. One example: you want VOA amharic program and not your opponents one. At least your opponent(government) is fair and balance for most of Ethiopians than your Amharic VOA program. Don't you believe in this? If not then there is no point of discussion with you. You are affixed to your likes only and the rest of us are out the 500 royal families.
What surprise me the most is only from Amharic VOA we saw bias and not from Horomo/Tigre VOA program. Hormos and Tigres are Ethiopians too why they did not hate Ethiopian moslems. Even on this web site the attack comes from one tribe plus from few Axumite Tigres too. Why this happen? Asking this question will aggravate more those fanatics, extremist/terrorists and I am sorry for that. I just asked you why hate?
We are building the biggest dam in Africa. It's even bigger than Aswan of Egypt. You attend you thoughts to the power. Who cause the breeding for social and political conflict and upheaval?
Corruption, embezzlement,etc will be taken care gradually like Egyptian and Tunisian are doing now. They don't go anywhere. Be smart. Stop your tribe and religion way of life and thinking. You don't own the country alone. The country belongs to all.
What has got into your mind Gashie? You mentioned VOA, also said breeding ground for social and political conflict and upheaval, and so on.
I said time and time all of you guys have same line of opinions and repeat the same things. Have your ancestors taught you to memorize these lines. They told u not to get off these beautiful lines. That's why we don't get along.
Imagine Ato Said wrote an article on economics and what kind of comment laid down. They called him terrorist by terrorists like Akraris and co. like Addis Zemen. Why? He is a moslem Ethiopian though never committed a crime. On the other hand they will never call you a terrorist even if you tried or said kill Meles. Why? Your religion is like theirs.
So do you think those people are normal and is ok to live with them in one country?
Regarding politics, you also behave like those akraris. You want only that suits you and you don't want hear or see the other side of the coin. One example: you want VOA amharic program and not your opponents one. At least your opponent(government) is fair and balance for most of Ethiopians than your Amharic VOA program. Don't you believe in this? If not then there is no point of discussion with you. You are affixed to your likes only and the rest of us are out the 500 royal families.
What surprise me the most is only from Amharic VOA we saw bias and not from Horomo/Tigre VOA program. Hormos and Tigres are Ethiopians too why they did not hate Ethiopian moslems. Even on this web site the attack comes from one tribe plus from few Axumite Tigres too. Why this happen? Asking this question will aggravate more those fanatics, extremist/terrorists and I am sorry for that. I just asked you why hate?
We are building the biggest dam in Africa. It's even bigger than Aswan of Egypt. You attend you thoughts to the power. Who cause the breeding for social and political conflict and upheaval?
Corruption, embezzlement,etc will be taken care gradually like Egyptian and Tunisian are doing now. They don't go anywhere. Be smart. Stop your tribe and religion way of life and thinking. You don't own the country alone. The country belongs to all.
04/15/11 @ 12:04
Comment from: addis zemen [Visitor]
A letter full of SARCASM!!
Just another stupidity by another dispora politician.
"SATIRE IS A SORT OF GLASS. WHEREIN BEHOLDERS GENERALLY DISCOVER EVERYBODY'S FACE BUT THEIR OWN" Jonatan swift,
You people are a total failure. This writer above even mentioned that somebody at the gate at Howard U, told him he cannot get in cuz he is not a Tigrean. Does he supose everybody to believe this childish accusation, or he is just playing on people's inteligence. What a sad society our diaspora oppos have become?
The main problem started when the disillussioned diaspora loosers shut the gate preventing the peacefull Ethiopians to enter to the meeting. That is why the law enforcment people had to enforce the law. Eventhough we live in such a great democratic country, with every democratic rights. The fanatic diaspora politicians made it impossible for us to use our rights. While they use their own right up to even acting like anarchist and vagabonds.
Now this writer is accusing our Embasy staff members as they deny him his democratic right.
What a shame this guy is a health proffessional working at NIH, is wasting his time with unneccessary bla bla, while Ethiopians back home are suffering with a shortage of health proffessionals.
Just another stupidity by another dispora politician.
"SATIRE IS A SORT OF GLASS. WHEREIN BEHOLDERS GENERALLY DISCOVER EVERYBODY'S FACE BUT THEIR OWN" Jonatan swift,
You people are a total failure. This writer above even mentioned that somebody at the gate at Howard U, told him he cannot get in cuz he is not a Tigrean. Does he supose everybody to believe this childish accusation, or he is just playing on people's inteligence. What a sad society our diaspora oppos have become?
The main problem started when the disillussioned diaspora loosers shut the gate preventing the peacefull Ethiopians to enter to the meeting. That is why the law enforcment people had to enforce the law. Eventhough we live in such a great democratic country, with every democratic rights. The fanatic diaspora politicians made it impossible for us to use our rights. While they use their own right up to even acting like anarchist and vagabonds.
Now this writer is accusing our Embasy staff members as they deny him his democratic right.
What a shame this guy is a health proffessional working at NIH, is wasting his time with unneccessary bla bla, while Ethiopians back home are suffering with a shortage of health proffessionals.
04/15/11 @ 12:09
Comment from: calmdown [Visitor]
Dear Mr. Fekade
I'm sorry for what happened to you. It showed me that there are people from both sides who profit from the divided country. If the government invite the Ethiopian diaspora to help building their country, then it should not be preferably only those, who are the supporters of the government's policy. This kind of selected invitation and participation is the one divide us and make it impossible for dialogue. And the opposition need to know some kind of self discipline is important when exercising your right. If it was a mistake of the organizer in managing it in a right way please do it again and let all Ethiopians participate in it. We know that it is not simple to allow and answer every questions, But it will be the beginning of a civil dialogue between the government and the oppositions.
I'm sorry for what happened to you. It showed me that there are people from both sides who profit from the divided country. If the government invite the Ethiopian diaspora to help building their country, then it should not be preferably only those, who are the supporters of the government's policy. This kind of selected invitation and participation is the one divide us and make it impossible for dialogue. And the opposition need to know some kind of self discipline is important when exercising your right. If it was a mistake of the organizer in managing it in a right way please do it again and let all Ethiopians participate in it. We know that it is not simple to allow and answer every questions, But it will be the beginning of a civil dialogue between the government and the oppositions.
04/15/11 @ 12:34
Comment from: feedom [Visitor]
The author is undeniably the biggest loser I've ever heard of in my life. This man has a lot of time on his hand. I can't believe I spent 6 minutes reading this garbage.
04/15/11 @ 12:42
Comment from: Azeb Teklu [Visitor]
Here comes again another Kehadi leba like Negussie Wolde Mariam. You are begging for a piece of land to build a house for your retirement.
I know you you are trying to get a pass to Ethiopia and live a comfortable life in Addis. No way!!!! All Berhane and the other loyas knows you better. Let me advise you one thing go to Addis no woyane will bother you because you are just a trush who is sick and tired of living in the US nothing more. Go Go Go Home ok.
04/15/11 @ 12:42
Comment from: gud [Visitor]
mr.shewakwna:
i appreciate your civility on addressing your concern to ambassador girma. however, you fell to understand the reason why the embassy forced to scrutinized the participant in the meeting. there are people like tamang and others whom deliberately come to disturb the meeting due to their deep rooted hatred to the government and tegrian people. i don't know whether you participate in the disturbance or not but i want to remind you one of their slogan. "Ethiopia will not be ruled by one race" i believe ambassador girma or the delegates are not only tegrians but they are mixed race.the opposition specially in DC continually mentioned the tigrians as the enemy of ethiopia.We herd it before and we still hear it. so, mr.shewakena how do you expect civilized meeting with the uncivilized opposition? think about it!!if you think progress will come that way, keep barking on the street of Washington DC and you will never admitted to a civilized meeting. case closed.
i appreciate your civility on addressing your concern to ambassador girma. however, you fell to understand the reason why the embassy forced to scrutinized the participant in the meeting. there are people like tamang and others whom deliberately come to disturb the meeting due to their deep rooted hatred to the government and tegrian people. i don't know whether you participate in the disturbance or not but i want to remind you one of their slogan. "Ethiopia will not be ruled by one race" i believe ambassador girma or the delegates are not only tegrians but they are mixed race.the opposition specially in DC continually mentioned the tigrians as the enemy of ethiopia.We herd it before and we still hear it. so, mr.shewakena how do you expect civilized meeting with the uncivilized opposition? think about it!!if you think progress will come that way, keep barking on the street of Washington DC and you will never admitted to a civilized meeting. case closed.
04/15/11 @ 13:09
Comment from: Sodo [Visitor]
TPLF is oblivious. They have closed their eyes and pin sized ethnic brains.
They do not care about the more than 75 million Ethiopians . They only care for all TPLF members who are illegally holding by the power the gun properties of other Ethiopians they took from the previous legitimate government .
04/15/11 @ 13:35
Comment from: Biadeg [Visitor]
Dear Ato Fekade:
I read your interesting article with great attendtion. Let me try to give you my brief assessments:
1. I don't know you in person, but I truly sense your genuine love for our motherland, Ethiopia. I feel what you feel everyday.
2. I liked your suggestion to the respected Ambassador Girma Biru, to call a meeting of the Wash, DC Community.
3. But, I didn't like your call to him for an apology on what happned on April 9th. I wish you had also seen the otherside. (I realize, it may be right to give apologies to selected individuals like you, who were unjustly turned back). But, to ask him apologize for the tragic failure of the event is totally unfair and onesided. I thought you will be objective and fair, but you are not (at least in this article). I think your biases (hatered to the govt, not just differences, clouded your judgement).
3. You have to admit that there were groups who were indent from the beginning to derail this historic event, to meet their selfish ego and sectarian needs. These group clamor for democracy, but they are the most undemocratic people filled with hatred and prejudices. To them, Ethiopia of Abay is meaningless (they give only lip services). That is the sad politics of Wash, DC, which is a hotbed for hatred and prejudices, not open dialogue and discourse. Unfortunately, people like you who love their country and dream for a genuine democracy in Ethiopia are caught in this vicious circle of fire and hatred, within the ocean of silent majority (which was denied its freedom of expresion for years!).
4. I agree with you there are a few opportunists entrenched around the embassy, who perpetuate hatred and division on the other side. Unfortuantely, the good and respected Ambassador will not be served well, unless he puts his house inorder and hire people who can help him build a strong bridge with this large community. I hope he takes note of this, and he needs help from all sides - from genuine Ethiopians!
5. I agree going forward people like you could do a great service to clean the community of hatred, suspicion, violence, extremeism and encourage the voices of reason and love to our motherland, to fight our common enemies-abject poverty, insecurity and division. Interestingly, our people inside the country are realistic and rally around the leaders to fight poverty once and for all and defend the motherland, from intruders and potential enemies all around her. Here in the Diaspora, the vocal extremeist groups knock the doors of its enemies (including Eritrean leaders) to subvert and undermine our country's promising and successful growth, which is witnessed everyday at home!
Finally, please understand, I am neither a partisan supporter of the government or the vocal extremist group in the Diaspora. Perhaps, you and I could be closer in this respect, going forward. If we both agree to disagree with civility and grace, but love our motherland, and struggle for its growth. We can engage both the Diaspora and the government and influence them to come to reason and seek a middle common ground with tolerance and mutual respect to work together to build both democracy and economic growth in our dear motherland, Ethiopia! It is a long struggle, but it can be done!
I look forward to hearing from you on advancing your ideas and effort to pursue this goal for the sake of our country! It is a historic opportunity, we should not miss!
So long,
Biadeg Tesfaye
I read your interesting article with great attendtion. Let me try to give you my brief assessments:
1. I don't know you in person, but I truly sense your genuine love for our motherland, Ethiopia. I feel what you feel everyday.
2. I liked your suggestion to the respected Ambassador Girma Biru, to call a meeting of the Wash, DC Community.
3. But, I didn't like your call to him for an apology on what happned on April 9th. I wish you had also seen the otherside. (I realize, it may be right to give apologies to selected individuals like you, who were unjustly turned back). But, to ask him apologize for the tragic failure of the event is totally unfair and onesided. I thought you will be objective and fair, but you are not (at least in this article). I think your biases (hatered to the govt, not just differences, clouded your judgement).
3. You have to admit that there were groups who were indent from the beginning to derail this historic event, to meet their selfish ego and sectarian needs. These group clamor for democracy, but they are the most undemocratic people filled with hatred and prejudices. To them, Ethiopia of Abay is meaningless (they give only lip services). That is the sad politics of Wash, DC, which is a hotbed for hatred and prejudices, not open dialogue and discourse. Unfortunately, people like you who love their country and dream for a genuine democracy in Ethiopia are caught in this vicious circle of fire and hatred, within the ocean of silent majority (which was denied its freedom of expresion for years!).
4. I agree with you there are a few opportunists entrenched around the embassy, who perpetuate hatred and division on the other side. Unfortuantely, the good and respected Ambassador will not be served well, unless he puts his house inorder and hire people who can help him build a strong bridge with this large community. I hope he takes note of this, and he needs help from all sides - from genuine Ethiopians!
5. I agree going forward people like you could do a great service to clean the community of hatred, suspicion, violence, extremeism and encourage the voices of reason and love to our motherland, to fight our common enemies-abject poverty, insecurity and division. Interestingly, our people inside the country are realistic and rally around the leaders to fight poverty once and for all and defend the motherland, from intruders and potential enemies all around her. Here in the Diaspora, the vocal extremeist groups knock the doors of its enemies (including Eritrean leaders) to subvert and undermine our country's promising and successful growth, which is witnessed everyday at home!
Finally, please understand, I am neither a partisan supporter of the government or the vocal extremist group in the Diaspora. Perhaps, you and I could be closer in this respect, going forward. If we both agree to disagree with civility and grace, but love our motherland, and struggle for its growth. We can engage both the Diaspora and the government and influence them to come to reason and seek a middle common ground with tolerance and mutual respect to work together to build both democracy and economic growth in our dear motherland, Ethiopia! It is a long struggle, but it can be done!
I look forward to hearing from you on advancing your ideas and effort to pursue this goal for the sake of our country! It is a historic opportunity, we should not miss!
So long,
Biadeg Tesfaye
04/15/11 @ 14:03
Comment from: BEKA [Visitor]
Mr.Fekade I read the article ,I think it is not neutral because it lucks critcizing the opposition.The oposition vividly came to disurupt the meeting because they said it in the mass media; therefore my question to you is would you let anyone get to meeting if they tell you that they will disturb the meeting? You should put yourself in their shoes.I don't know if you have heard the video there were foul words used against Tigreans.Why then do you ommit those deragatory words and make only the oppostion a victim.I do believe in freedom of speech,and freedom of assembly ,but on this case I find it very hard to judge only one side.This is a cause and effect scenerio. Mr. Fekade, you know sometimes polotics is a sweet bitter ,there are times you have to sit and talk with your bitter enemy that has blood in his hand,it is not by choice but a polotical wisdom.Israel's Yisak Rabin shaked the hands of PLO's leader Yaser Arafat who has Israel's blood in his hand to and go the extra mile in search of peace what good would it be for Rabin to win a war but loose peace? I want to ask the opposition is there any power that is ready to fill the vacum if Woyane is gone?The only force I think maybe Shabia or OLNF,OR OLF ,is there any plan and action?
04/15/11 @ 14:22
Comment from: Sodo [Visitor]
Burhanu Kebede
First of all you should know how to spell. It is BERHANU . Second, do you blame Ethiopians for hating anybody who put their country in this mess?
You are one of them perhaps living in a big house previously owned by a real Ethiopian. You are a fake Ethiopian who call yourself Ethiopian, because the perks you think you are entitled nothing else other than you are a Tgre. A maggot Woyane too.
04/15/11 @ 14:23
Comment from: kul [Visitor]
@Addis Zemen
My friend, I don’t think you’ve read the entire article carefully. You wrongly accuse Ato Fekade as saying that he couldn’t get into the meeting because he was not a Tigre. That is completely false. Go back and read the article please. If you don’t what to read it here is what he said:-
“I was told I was ineligible to enter and saw many people being returned from entering. One screener told me in the face that he reads my writings on the Internet and that the meeting is not for my kind of people. I asked him if this was the policy of the embassy and he told me yes. He further told me, and I quote him verbatim: “ante Tigre Titela Yelem ende min litisera Metah”. There were a lot of media people, including from the VOA, a reporter for Howard University students’ paper, and a television crew right behind me who witnessed the event.”
See how you misread the article?
My friend, I don’t think you’ve read the entire article carefully. You wrongly accuse Ato Fekade as saying that he couldn’t get into the meeting because he was not a Tigre. That is completely false. Go back and read the article please. If you don’t what to read it here is what he said:-
“I was told I was ineligible to enter and saw many people being returned from entering. One screener told me in the face that he reads my writings on the Internet and that the meeting is not for my kind of people. I asked him if this was the policy of the embassy and he told me yes. He further told me, and I quote him verbatim: “ante Tigre Titela Yelem ende min litisera Metah”. There were a lot of media people, including from the VOA, a reporter for Howard University students’ paper, and a television crew right behind me who witnessed the event.”
See how you misread the article?
04/15/11 @ 14:38
Comment from: challenger [Visitor]
It looks like the gullible opposition are duped again as they were duped by woyanne during the Ethio-Eritrea and Ethio-Somalia wars. They are the target of woyanne's simple political maneuvers and they never disappoint as always get tricked at the slightest of woyanne trickeries.
Let the opportunists, fools, and those who are suffering from identity crisis -- they call themselves the opposition when they have nothing to oppose -- march behind woyanne to build a dam on Abay (Nile). Or as the Egyptians call it, a new 99 year lease to use Abay with a fake dam project built in a place where it can't be used for any Agriculture.
Talk to the rest of us who know the true color of woyanne and have no illusion about where their loyalty lays when they build a dam on Abay for irrigation. What is our number one problem right now? Is it food or electricity?
It always seemed political division is our number one enemy in terms of rescuing our country from an entrenched tyranny but lack of political acumen among some who wrongly call themselves opposition seems to be the number one threat to our national security.
My God save our land from her enemies and her idiotic and opportunist sons and daughters
Amen!
Let the opportunists, fools, and those who are suffering from identity crisis -- they call themselves the opposition when they have nothing to oppose -- march behind woyanne to build a dam on Abay (Nile). Or as the Egyptians call it, a new 99 year lease to use Abay with a fake dam project built in a place where it can't be used for any Agriculture.
Talk to the rest of us who know the true color of woyanne and have no illusion about where their loyalty lays when they build a dam on Abay for irrigation. What is our number one problem right now? Is it food or electricity?
It always seemed political division is our number one enemy in terms of rescuing our country from an entrenched tyranny but lack of political acumen among some who wrongly call themselves opposition seems to be the number one threat to our national security.
My God save our land from her enemies and her idiotic and opportunist sons and daughters
Amen!
04/15/11 @ 15:18
Comment from: Taye [Visitor]
Dear Shewa kena,
I appreciate your addressing the Ambassador directly on your misgivings. However, I believe you lost the big picture. You are portraying what happened on Saturday as if it was an event filled with well wishing Ethiopians who were there to heard and let others be heard. The scene was filled with people who were intent to see no body listened anybody else. So, while I do not approve of the fact that your were not allowed to attend, I was expecting you to portray the context with a little more of balance.
As a fellow citizen, here is my small advice for you. If you really are interested in helping your motherland as you have claimed you do, I suggest that you start to at least appreciate, if not respect and even lend hand to, people who are trying, tooth and nail, to lift our country out of the quagmire of poverty she has been in for time immortal.
I appreciate your addressing the Ambassador directly on your misgivings. However, I believe you lost the big picture. You are portraying what happened on Saturday as if it was an event filled with well wishing Ethiopians who were there to heard and let others be heard. The scene was filled with people who were intent to see no body listened anybody else. So, while I do not approve of the fact that your were not allowed to attend, I was expecting you to portray the context with a little more of balance.
As a fellow citizen, here is my small advice for you. If you really are interested in helping your motherland as you have claimed you do, I suggest that you start to at least appreciate, if not respect and even lend hand to, people who are trying, tooth and nail, to lift our country out of the quagmire of poverty she has been in for time immortal.
04/15/11 @ 15:21
Comment from: Daniel [Visitor]
Ato Fekade;
I read your article. While I appreciate the tone of your article and mention of some positive criticisms, the article was infested with serious flaws.
1. It is not a balanced assessment. While you were spending thousands of words on the failure of the Embassy, you were blinded to the toxic individuals who were showering all the stupid and embarrassing curses at those gates.
As we all know you, you are a devout supporter of the opposition block (as organizer of late kinijit and others). Shouldn't you do your homework (taming the unbridled and wild opponents) and start to blame the other side of the isle?
2. Your assessment fails to capture the reality. For any discussion to take place, there need to be civility in the parties. Where is the ground for a dialogue? Haven’t we seen how most of the Diaspora talks trash before? Or are you trying to deny that? What is the merit of allowing those bad mouthed thugs in to the hall? To become more biter than before? The difference was not whether the ideas were good or bad. The difference was to do anything and foil the meeting at all. This goes to the extent of intimidating the participants from entering to the meeting. What kind of discussion is possible with these guys?
3. Why not you show case the workability of your proposal? In the last 20 years along, are there any forums in your areas where opposing Diasporas convene in one hall and debated intellectually? For instance, OLF, ONLF, AEUP and G7 oppose the government, and they should at least agree with one thing. But, …. have you ever seen these group in one hall? The answer is "NO!" There reason is, most of the politicians in the driver’s seat are bad mouthed, impossible to talk with, and without any functioning mind above their necks.
My advise:
Start talking to members of your group. Pose serious question: how should we engage ourselves in civility, how could we convey our message without ridiculing others, how could we weed out toxic elements from our side, and get focused on the crux of the matter, how could we learn to respect opposing views, etc.
Believe me, if you could succeed in this issues, the opposition not only win the appreciation of the ambassador, but also the hearts and minds of thousands of Ethiopian Diaspora, who at present is f the radar from such forums.
Sincerely
I read your article. While I appreciate the tone of your article and mention of some positive criticisms, the article was infested with serious flaws.
1. It is not a balanced assessment. While you were spending thousands of words on the failure of the Embassy, you were blinded to the toxic individuals who were showering all the stupid and embarrassing curses at those gates.
As we all know you, you are a devout supporter of the opposition block (as organizer of late kinijit and others). Shouldn't you do your homework (taming the unbridled and wild opponents) and start to blame the other side of the isle?
2. Your assessment fails to capture the reality. For any discussion to take place, there need to be civility in the parties. Where is the ground for a dialogue? Haven’t we seen how most of the Diaspora talks trash before? Or are you trying to deny that? What is the merit of allowing those bad mouthed thugs in to the hall? To become more biter than before? The difference was not whether the ideas were good or bad. The difference was to do anything and foil the meeting at all. This goes to the extent of intimidating the participants from entering to the meeting. What kind of discussion is possible with these guys?
3. Why not you show case the workability of your proposal? In the last 20 years along, are there any forums in your areas where opposing Diasporas convene in one hall and debated intellectually? For instance, OLF, ONLF, AEUP and G7 oppose the government, and they should at least agree with one thing. But, …. have you ever seen these group in one hall? The answer is "NO!" There reason is, most of the politicians in the driver’s seat are bad mouthed, impossible to talk with, and without any functioning mind above their necks.
My advise:
Start talking to members of your group. Pose serious question: how should we engage ourselves in civility, how could we convey our message without ridiculing others, how could we weed out toxic elements from our side, and get focused on the crux of the matter, how could we learn to respect opposing views, etc.
Believe me, if you could succeed in this issues, the opposition not only win the appreciation of the ambassador, but also the hearts and minds of thousands of Ethiopian Diaspora, who at present is f the radar from such forums.
Sincerely
04/15/11 @ 15:30
Comment from: Invisible [Visitor]
As a matter of fact, “Prevention is Better than Cure”
Such events took places in all Western countries and those demonstrate were NOT allowed to the meeting because they were coming to disrupt the meeting. There fore, what happened during Ethiopian official meeting should NOT be different than that of the West.
Such events took places in all Western countries and those demonstrate were NOT allowed to the meeting because they were coming to disrupt the meeting. There fore, what happened during Ethiopian official meeting should NOT be different than that of the West.
04/15/11 @ 16:22
Comment from: Manu [Visitor]
Ato Fekade
Very well put. I was also denied entry into the meeting hall. What Ato Girma needs to understand and take to heart is the Ethiopians who were out there have the best interests of their country at heart. Those of us who came to Howard and were denied access came to engage the the government officials in a fruitful debate. As an academic and a patriotic Ethiopian who believes in freedom of expression, my intention was to ask questions and understand the transformation plan. I was summarily dismissed at the gate.Whatever litmus test the gatekeepers used to exclude me is still a mystery to me.
If Ato Girma and the government he represents are sincere about engaging the Diaspora,this is hardly the way to do it. The Ambassador has to realize that there are as many views as there are Ethiopians leaving abroad. The essence of a true leader and messenger is to accommodate all views. If, on the other hand, Ato Girma is interested in preaching to the convert then those of us who like to keep an open mind and ask probing questions before we throw our support to any government plan will sit on the fence and use whatever media is available to express our views. We have unlimited options to do so.
Manu
Very well put. I was also denied entry into the meeting hall. What Ato Girma needs to understand and take to heart is the Ethiopians who were out there have the best interests of their country at heart. Those of us who came to Howard and were denied access came to engage the the government officials in a fruitful debate. As an academic and a patriotic Ethiopian who believes in freedom of expression, my intention was to ask questions and understand the transformation plan. I was summarily dismissed at the gate.Whatever litmus test the gatekeepers used to exclude me is still a mystery to me.
If Ato Girma and the government he represents are sincere about engaging the Diaspora,this is hardly the way to do it. The Ambassador has to realize that there are as many views as there are Ethiopians leaving abroad. The essence of a true leader and messenger is to accommodate all views. If, on the other hand, Ato Girma is interested in preaching to the convert then those of us who like to keep an open mind and ask probing questions before we throw our support to any government plan will sit on the fence and use whatever media is available to express our views. We have unlimited options to do so.
Manu
04/15/11 @ 16:34
Comment from: Werner2010 [Visitor]
The author insists that he is an intellectual who writes perfect truth, while others are just there for personal gains or ethnic loyality. He seems to say, surrender to my ideology, forget others then I will deliver the diaspora support to the government. He even demands that radio stations be closed, because they reflect opposing views to his own!?!
Besides, the hooligan opposition is in his eyes doing all the right things, and anyone that supports the government policis is doing so for personal gains and favors. I support this government's struggle to defend and develope the country, and I live a very comfortable life here, and I have no desire whatsoever to go back and live in Ethiopia. The more I see the opposition, the more I listen to Tamagn and read Elias Kifle, the more convinced I becaome that this government is the right one for mama Ethiopia. I am going to attend the meeting in Europe, because it is my right to do so. I know some "pro-democracy activists" will try to disrupt the meetings using childish and criminal methods, they cannot convince me that they are the better alternative towards democratic and progressive Ethiopia.
Besides, the hooligan opposition is in his eyes doing all the right things, and anyone that supports the government policis is doing so for personal gains and favors. I support this government's struggle to defend and develope the country, and I live a very comfortable life here, and I have no desire whatsoever to go back and live in Ethiopia. The more I see the opposition, the more I listen to Tamagn and read Elias Kifle, the more convinced I becaome that this government is the right one for mama Ethiopia. I am going to attend the meeting in Europe, because it is my right to do so. I know some "pro-democracy activists" will try to disrupt the meetings using childish and criminal methods, they cannot convince me that they are the better alternative towards democratic and progressive Ethiopia.
04/15/11 @ 16:43
Comment from: Tefera [Visitor]
well honesty and sincerity are the first casuality of politics. it is good the guy wrote this letter and hopefully the ambassador will give it the benefit of the doubt, but fekade should assess and comment on both sides of the isles. to begin with the victims were those who were denied the right to conduct the meeting. they were blocked, insulted, threatened and when all that didnt work the "protesters" pulled the fire alarm and made a bomb threat. how is this ok, after all the meeting was about how to finance the nile dam. does fekade think people like elias kifle would let him sit and have discussion with the ethiopian ambassador. i am pretty sure he knows better. actually they did him a favor by returning him unless ofcourse his intention was to disturb and show a scene at the meeting.. but my advice to the ambassador is just go along with his advice and call an open meeting about the nile dam to proof to him and any one like him who truly people like elias kifle and his goons are. i am sure the first victim of these people will be fekade himself. by the way does fekade know elias' proposal to egypt not to go to war for nile but support the opposition. how can you even discuss the dam with a person who does and say thing like that. how do we know the protest is not part of his proposal to egypt??
04/15/11 @ 16:55
Comment from: Bortola [Visitor]
Hi Mr Shewakena,
First of all you should have been there. Because you should have convinced yourself that attending a meeting called by Meles is like endorsing him. If I had to go I would go to openly protest the presence of agents genocide and criminals. What untold question do you ask these enemies of the Ethiopian people and be satisfied? They do everything they do in purpose and plan. I am also very much dismayed with your kindness to Mr Biru and your advise to him not to repeat the same mistake. We all know who he is and does not deserve those kind words. Bye now.
Bortola
First of all you should have been there. Because you should have convinced yourself that attending a meeting called by Meles is like endorsing him. If I had to go I would go to openly protest the presence of agents genocide and criminals. What untold question do you ask these enemies of the Ethiopian people and be satisfied? They do everything they do in purpose and plan. I am also very much dismayed with your kindness to Mr Biru and your advise to him not to repeat the same mistake. We all know who he is and does not deserve those kind words. Bye now.
Bortola
04/15/11 @ 17:08
Comment from: Gezaee H. [Visitor]
My dear brother, I know you and what happened to you is what really happens to the black people in South Africa? The blacks are still chased from white hotels just for being black. Now you are chased just for writing opposing ideas which I do believe you are the most positive person we have.
We know each other now for quite awhile. All the things you wrote were only positive, but the Meles TPLF are filled with ignorance and arrogance. They will accept or accomodate others or non sheep EPRDF. You have to be an EPRDF sheeps who follow them like sheeps.
Let me tell you a story now. It is new. I was reading my freind was reading a letter from Dessie today as I speak. She is graduated with an enginnering degree. Now she says she cannot find job unless she joins EPRDF ? Job is reserved for EPRDF supporters only. EPRDF supporters are the first citizen and the rest is third and second citizen. Even over this, if you are amhara you are more likely to be disciminated.
Do not even talk about democracy, it is just lie. There is a smoke of democracy in Ethiopia. What they tried to do in DC is just what they do in Ethiopia. It does not matter where they go, it is them. They know you are not the sheep they wanted. So they have to chase you.
However, I admit the Diasporas have become so weak and do not have a strategy to humiliate EPRDF in public. The good way to make EPRDF delegates was to participate in the meeting as a part and parcel and do the good job infront of the public. However, Diasporas have no strategy. Their strategy is offense and insult and violating the people whom they do not like. It is actually the same attitude with EPRDF. Each side wanted to exculde each other. Now the banda are saying they have defeated the Diaspora?
The diaspora are charged with verbal assaults and physical confrontations and even insulting the leaders while protesting gives more sympathy to Meles. This means indirectly diasporas are working for Meles. Meles the sinister anti Ethiopia has penetrated into Diasprao and even Mr. Mekanent asked them to control Diaspora communities>? Is that not laugheable, while Meles is treating Ethiopians who does not support his party as second citizen? while people can get job by their ability if they do not have an EPRDF card? Mekonanent says he wanted our lives to be controlled by the despot Meles.
GO to hell EPRDF.
04/15/11 @ 19:12
Comment from: hagos [Visitor]
i knew now who this person by the name Shewkena.were he the one orchstrated for woyane to wage that senseless war ,against Shabia,in which 100,000 lives of the innocent Amharas ,Oromos and other Ethiopian falks paid in vain but resulted in the consolidation of the woyane's power.Shewakena!!!!! history will never forget you as you are one of the culprit who sholud be accountable for thousands of compatriots whose blood spilled and lost their life for nothing in so called Badme war.You will definitly recieve your poetic justice along with woyane jestapos.
04/15/11 @ 20:02
Comment from: Gezaee H. [Visitor]
Hagos,
Shewakena is a patriotic Ethiopian, a close friend of Gebru Asrat TPLF. He has done his duty to defend his country. It is the bastard TPLF Meles who betrayed the 100 000 souls. Shewakena did not stop the war prematurely. He did not advise Meles to call the victory off. It is Meles the most despicable, the most coward, the most aimless, Lezay, lehacham who sold out the 100 000 soldiers. If Meles Zenawi was in North America, he would have been thrown into a hot furnace 13 years ago. Yet, Meles the Denkero tell us he is elected? Elected for what? elected to do more betrayal?
Leave alone Shewakena please. Please leave him alone. He is a brave man who has no hidden agenda except a burning patriotism inside him.
Well done Shewakena, ewnetm shewakena. Do not listen to this charlatans or yeethiopia hizbe meshegeroch.
04/15/11 @ 21:39
Comment from: gud [Visitor]
hagos,sodo, c'moi senait,
you guys are : dedeboch, cellachuh yeregefe, senseless idiot, balegewoch, sidadegoch,chigaramoch,hodamoch, lekakamiwoch,etc. i think these are your language. hagos shewakena is not the leader of ethiopia to wage the war ante dedeb you accusing him for nothing. sodo i think you are yekesere gurage who has nothing to do but insulting tigrians. if i found you in person, i will whoop your ass with belt. c'moi cenait: yezorebish felasha or shabia,your mouth is so dirty like your ass.use your mouth to eat not to shit ok? miss youdit gudit.
you guys are : dedeboch, cellachuh yeregefe, senseless idiot, balegewoch, sidadegoch,chigaramoch,hodamoch, lekakamiwoch,etc. i think these are your language. hagos shewakena is not the leader of ethiopia to wage the war ante dedeb you accusing him for nothing. sodo i think you are yekesere gurage who has nothing to do but insulting tigrians. if i found you in person, i will whoop your ass with belt. c'moi cenait: yezorebish felasha or shabia,your mouth is so dirty like your ass.use your mouth to eat not to shit ok? miss youdit gudit.
04/15/11 @ 23:24
Comment from: Eshi Lelas [Visitor]
We Ethiopians LOVE to whine and blame others. We LOVE to be the "victims" of someone or somethint out there. we all should step out of this habit and live life, take the chances and grab opportunities . Stop "complaining", "compairing", "critcizing". My people ...the rest of the world is moving AHEAD lets atleast follow them if we can't lead them 
04/15/11 @ 23:53
Comment from: Mola [Visitor]
I recently happened to visit some Eritrean webistes, I was amazed by how much they accomplished in the past 20 years with the very limited resouce they have. As much as many Ethiopians hate Shabia, they are building their country like no other African nation. I never heard any corruption charge against Isaias Afeworki. Woyane are barking while Shabia is building.
04/15/11 @ 23:55
Comment from: Selam wedag [Visitor]
Shewakena, has no shame to boast for workng tirelessly in the Ethio-Eritrea war. We lost 100,000 souls. Woyane used thousands of soldiers to clear land mines of the heavily fortified Eritrean fronts; they used thousands as human shields by shooting them from behind. This is nothing to be proud of. You should be ashamed of your self; you would never send your own kids to die in a sense less war. Would you like to send your kids to be land mine cleaners ? You will be brought to justince in its due time.
04/16/11 @ 00:02
Comment from: Minew Fike [Visitor]
This is very much unlike you and it is an uncalled for appeasment. You are trying to speak Spanish to a Chinese guy living in rural China.
From your previous writings I thought by now you know who woyanes are? They don't understand respect at all. How did you fail to know that? When everybody is saying "Enough" to their repression, I did not expect appeasement from you.
What made you think that Girma Biru is a better guy than the person who denied you entry at the gate?
From your previous writings I thought by now you know who woyanes are? They don't understand respect at all. How did you fail to know that? When everybody is saying "Enough" to their repression, I did not expect appeasement from you.
What made you think that Girma Biru is a better guy than the person who denied you entry at the gate?
04/16/11 @ 00:18
Comment from: robel [Visitor]
Dear Brother,
First you are not the only one who was declined entrance . I dont want to go down as you did it. But to make my point people from all ethnic group were declined entrance ...
I dont see the reason of mentioning the ethnic insident you mentioned (suppose it happened) if the only intent of your letter is to give scholarly advise on how to solve such issues.
You sound more of a victim , more of a father quarelling with a son rather than an academia-mediator having a solid solution to the prevailing issue, or giving advice to an Ambassador.
Brother, why don't you advice those vocal brothers and sisters out there to get in to the meeting hall and talk-argue in civility in a way adults do.
I dont see any reason or use of sitting outside the door and intimidating those who came with better ideas to challnge our officials.
Anyways .... our Ministers and high officials demonstrated their wisdom and adulthood and it would be human to address them as such.....the more i see and listen to them the more closer i am to signing up for EPRDF membership!!!!!!!!!!
....lets find a way to disagree politically and rally round the flag for things that are important to all of us ,
Its is irrtating to see some individuals claiming to be more Ethiopians than others but in reality they havent touched the sacrifice their compatriots has done.... c'est la vie
First you are not the only one who was declined entrance . I dont want to go down as you did it. But to make my point people from all ethnic group were declined entrance ...
I dont see the reason of mentioning the ethnic insident you mentioned (suppose it happened) if the only intent of your letter is to give scholarly advise on how to solve such issues.
You sound more of a victim , more of a father quarelling with a son rather than an academia-mediator having a solid solution to the prevailing issue, or giving advice to an Ambassador.
Brother, why don't you advice those vocal brothers and sisters out there to get in to the meeting hall and talk-argue in civility in a way adults do.
I dont see any reason or use of sitting outside the door and intimidating those who came with better ideas to challnge our officials.
Anyways .... our Ministers and high officials demonstrated their wisdom and adulthood and it would be human to address them as such.....the more i see and listen to them the more closer i am to signing up for EPRDF membership!!!!!!!!!!
....lets find a way to disagree politically and rally round the flag for things that are important to all of us ,
Its is irrtating to see some individuals claiming to be more Ethiopians than others but in reality they havent touched the sacrifice their compatriots has done.... c'est la vie
04/16/11 @ 01:19
Comment from: wasachewww [Visitor]
EVERY ONE IN THE WORLD HAVE A RIGHT
TO HATE,SOME THING OR SOMEONE WHO
DISLIKE IT,
TO HATE,SOME THING OR SOMEONE WHO
DISLIKE IT,
04/16/11 @ 01:58
Comment from: Satenaw [Visitor]
Wait a minute! My friend feri (free), I have a strong case here. You just cannot run to the stage and walk out as you choose. You cannot do that either as a messenger or as the leader of the back room Tigre crowd. With all due respect and love intact for you, I cannot believe I am seeing this suggestions coming from you. What do you mean? Yihe neger wedet Tega-Tega new, big brother? Are you about to join that Fersam pig Solomon Kedalign as his dancer or dance chorographer?
Bro, those who flirted with Tigray Parasitic Looting Front (TPLF) have been/will be destroyed for life. They have betrayed their country and people by serving the corrupted system and a system that is being used to blackmail Ethiopians by instilling fear of division along ethnic lines while strengthening TPLF and its kilill. History will show that their loyalty was misplaced and misguided. Dude, what is your problem? All I’m saying is: "TPLF can not be reformed; thus must be abolished just like the Apartheid system" & more importantly we should not recognize the TPLF constitution; as it was guerrilla manifesto that became the constitution of the country. It was kilil based that should be dismantled. Dude –Dude, what is happening to you? From the outset no good Ethiopian who has a good intention for his country entertain the concept of working together or exchanging ideas with TPLF.
Dude, I don't know what you are attempting to accomplish but you are spreading pessimism about any hint of ideas not to cooperate or up rise in our country with conviction. I also can't help noticing your politically correct reference of the Tigre junta which led me to think that you really are against any kind of up rise in our land for the wrong reason, I suspect. "Yagere sew Zim Yale Aff Zinb Aygebabetm" yilal. If you don't have anything positive to contribute towards the discussion on the struggle of the people, please stay clear of such paths. If you find an egg that has gone bad, don't try to eat or sell it. But if you insist on eating it anyway, do it at your own risk. Don't share an egg that has gone bad with others! If you are feeling unwell, as a result of eating that thing, call 911. Don't ring Nazret, 'cause the TPLF victims like me seem to be tired of helping self-harmers like you.
I'm sure you understand yhat Central to all this is the hate for Ethiopia and separatist agenda the organization harbours and promotes. This is so clear that TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) has not even changed its name from liberation (separation) front to something else which is more palatable. How come Ethiopians with good conscious and love of country lose sight of this fact and rationalize to work with these bloodsucking leeches? Who is: "The custodian of Ethiopia’s sovereignty"? I would argue that a hyena would be trustworthy left with a lamb in the middle of the field than TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) guarding the Ethiopian people and Ethiopia’s sovereign territories".
What we question is the unfairness, the indifference, and the robbery by the racist Tigre leeches back home and their fellow travellers abroad (like cadre Addis Zemen) abating, cooperating, and encouraging violence against the Ethiopian people. What a shame that TPLF die hard (like Tegadelay Addis Zemen) abroad pride in ignorance. You see they are not at all ill-informed about the mischievous of TPLF (Tigray parasitic Looting Front) but still they like to lie in bed with it even when they see Meles is running the country into the ground. I don’t know if those Tigres have a sense of Ethiopian citizenship? I have my doubts.
Everyone except the mindless Tigre ruffians would understand the fact that any living organism must have a survival mechanism whether it’s a plant or an animal – it’s the reason why they are here today. Faced with a threat, any creature would fight or flee! It’s the mechanism that allows it to live and see another day. If the aforesaid is true Satenaw definitely has an enduring survival instinct …
If you are against injustices, and against the mercenary group that kills our people, please get-off my young back & re-adjust your Onslaught towards the Tigre bloodsuckers. If you manage just to do that, our avenues to battle the Tigre cockroaches might be different but our Goal shoud be the same. Why waste your time & energy criticizing me? I’m not one of the heavily armed Tigre goons who are gunning down the defenceless citizen; I’m not one of the cold-blooded Tigre Agazi militia? I’m just a victim of those savaged Tigres. I’m a victim who are just spiting out my anger & frustration towards these uncivilized, backward, brute Tigre leeches who are terrorizing the nation. "To accept passively an unjust system is to cooperate with that system; thereby the oppressed become as evil as the oppressor". Martin Luther king. Also an old African proverb says "until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter" Dude please wake-up & put your eyes on the prize. Do we agree that the prize we are fighting for is the liberation of Ethiopia from TPLF tyranny? If we do agree, then can we talk about the ways and means of how we will be able to achieve that objective? Trust me buying bonds won’t be one of them.
ETHIOPIA SHALL PREVAIL!!!
Bro, those who flirted with Tigray Parasitic Looting Front (TPLF) have been/will be destroyed for life. They have betrayed their country and people by serving the corrupted system and a system that is being used to blackmail Ethiopians by instilling fear of division along ethnic lines while strengthening TPLF and its kilill. History will show that their loyalty was misplaced and misguided. Dude, what is your problem? All I’m saying is: "TPLF can not be reformed; thus must be abolished just like the Apartheid system" & more importantly we should not recognize the TPLF constitution; as it was guerrilla manifesto that became the constitution of the country. It was kilil based that should be dismantled. Dude –Dude, what is happening to you? From the outset no good Ethiopian who has a good intention for his country entertain the concept of working together or exchanging ideas with TPLF.
Dude, I don't know what you are attempting to accomplish but you are spreading pessimism about any hint of ideas not to cooperate or up rise in our country with conviction. I also can't help noticing your politically correct reference of the Tigre junta which led me to think that you really are against any kind of up rise in our land for the wrong reason, I suspect. "Yagere sew Zim Yale Aff Zinb Aygebabetm" yilal. If you don't have anything positive to contribute towards the discussion on the struggle of the people, please stay clear of such paths. If you find an egg that has gone bad, don't try to eat or sell it. But if you insist on eating it anyway, do it at your own risk. Don't share an egg that has gone bad with others! If you are feeling unwell, as a result of eating that thing, call 911. Don't ring Nazret, 'cause the TPLF victims like me seem to be tired of helping self-harmers like you.
I'm sure you understand yhat Central to all this is the hate for Ethiopia and separatist agenda the organization harbours and promotes. This is so clear that TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) has not even changed its name from liberation (separation) front to something else which is more palatable. How come Ethiopians with good conscious and love of country lose sight of this fact and rationalize to work with these bloodsucking leeches? Who is: "The custodian of Ethiopia’s sovereignty"? I would argue that a hyena would be trustworthy left with a lamb in the middle of the field than TPLF (Tigray Parasitic Looting Front) guarding the Ethiopian people and Ethiopia’s sovereign territories".
What we question is the unfairness, the indifference, and the robbery by the racist Tigre leeches back home and their fellow travellers abroad (like cadre Addis Zemen) abating, cooperating, and encouraging violence against the Ethiopian people. What a shame that TPLF die hard (like Tegadelay Addis Zemen) abroad pride in ignorance. You see they are not at all ill-informed about the mischievous of TPLF (Tigray parasitic Looting Front) but still they like to lie in bed with it even when they see Meles is running the country into the ground. I don’t know if those Tigres have a sense of Ethiopian citizenship? I have my doubts.
Everyone except the mindless Tigre ruffians would understand the fact that any living organism must have a survival mechanism whether it’s a plant or an animal – it’s the reason why they are here today. Faced with a threat, any creature would fight or flee! It’s the mechanism that allows it to live and see another day. If the aforesaid is true Satenaw definitely has an enduring survival instinct …
If you are against injustices, and against the mercenary group that kills our people, please get-off my young back & re-adjust your Onslaught towards the Tigre bloodsuckers. If you manage just to do that, our avenues to battle the Tigre cockroaches might be different but our Goal shoud be the same. Why waste your time & energy criticizing me? I’m not one of the heavily armed Tigre goons who are gunning down the defenceless citizen; I’m not one of the cold-blooded Tigre Agazi militia? I’m just a victim of those savaged Tigres. I’m a victim who are just spiting out my anger & frustration towards these uncivilized, backward, brute Tigre leeches who are terrorizing the nation. "To accept passively an unjust system is to cooperate with that system; thereby the oppressed become as evil as the oppressor". Martin Luther king. Also an old African proverb says "until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunter" Dude please wake-up & put your eyes on the prize. Do we agree that the prize we are fighting for is the liberation of Ethiopia from TPLF tyranny? If we do agree, then can we talk about the ways and means of how we will be able to achieve that objective? Trust me buying bonds won’t be one of them.
ETHIOPIA SHALL PREVAIL!!!
04/16/11 @ 07:54
Comment from: colateral damage [Visitor]
Dear Ato Fekade Shewakena, I suggest that you look at the destructive so called diaspora oppositions, who are trying to disrupt any meaningful discussion by Ethiopians and Ethiopian gov't. They cannot help it but filter out some of the destructive a$$ holes out of adult conversations. you were hit in the process.. so leave the Ambassador alone. The loser diaspora community has been toxic. I still regret supporting the opposition in 2005. Long Live Ethiopia
04/16/11 @ 08:39
Comment from: Tola [Visitor]
Hey man why do you have to kiss their ass. They don't want you period. pulling out the ethnic card put you on the same page as your opponents woyanne. Are you trying to make woyanne democratic please !! your letter to the ambassador tells many things about you. He will invite you for dinner and you will be assigned an assighment that can bring you back home after all you want to retire and it is about time, SHAME !!! You could have achieved what ever you want with out pulling the leg.
04/16/11 @ 09:41
Comment from: Burhanu kebede [Visitor]
Hello to all.This is Burhanu Kebede.who
loves so much my country Ethiopia.I'm not
fake. The people who fake are those who
came to Haward Universit to Disturb our
meeting.the people who are fake are the
people who threats us with bomb in the
meeting. the people who fakes are the
people who are set up alarm during the
meeting.the people who are fake are the
people who took our right that the meeting was disturbed by them.That was Orchestrated
by nesant le Ethiopia ,Tamagne and Fikade
Shiwa. Tamagne Fikade they were anti the
people of Tigray During the KINGIT that
they called their Followers do not sit or
eat with the Tigrie and that was their
Agenda.Thanks god they failed.If they had the
power they might kill all Tigreans in
Addis.but Dream ena musho hone kere.
You like it or not we will build the DAM.
loves so much my country Ethiopia.I'm not
fake. The people who fake are those who
came to Haward Universit to Disturb our
meeting.the people who are fake are the
people who threats us with bomb in the
meeting. the people who fakes are the
people who are set up alarm during the
meeting.the people who are fake are the
people who took our right that the meeting was disturbed by them.That was Orchestrated
by nesant le Ethiopia ,Tamagne and Fikade
Shiwa. Tamagne Fikade they were anti the
people of Tigray During the KINGIT that
they called their Followers do not sit or
eat with the Tigrie and that was their
Agenda.Thanks god they failed.If they had the
power they might kill all Tigreans in
Addis.but Dream ena musho hone kere.
You like it or not we will build the DAM.
04/16/11 @ 10:54
Comment from: Azeb [Visitor]
Dear Ato Fekade:
Thank you for pointing out the hired radio host in Washington D.C that have no real knowledge of Economics, Journalism, Sociology, Projects Management, Poverty Reduction, AIDs, Engineering and dam building that are polarizing situation.
Dear Mr. Amassador:
Please don’t surround the Ethiopian embassy by get keepers like Ethiopia radio host like Negussie, a man that call himself Dr. Belay, Yossef- an-ex restaurant owner, Ato. Damena. Who have no knowledge of government policies, don’t even have a meaningful skill to find a job, beside may be driving cab in Washington D.C. If your government policies are dictated by these type of people, your career as an Ethiopian Ambassador would be unsuccessful like your predecessor.
These people are to certain extent financed by your government and there true survival depends on polarizing the differences between your government and the Diaspora. There only survival depends if there is no meaningful dialogue with the Ethiopia government at in Diaspora.
This is also true on the options side. There also others that polarize a meaningful dialog.
Thank you for pointing out the hired radio host in Washington D.C that have no real knowledge of Economics, Journalism, Sociology, Projects Management, Poverty Reduction, AIDs, Engineering and dam building that are polarizing situation.
Dear Mr. Amassador:
Please don’t surround the Ethiopian embassy by get keepers like Ethiopia radio host like Negussie, a man that call himself Dr. Belay, Yossef- an-ex restaurant owner, Ato. Damena. Who have no knowledge of government policies, don’t even have a meaningful skill to find a job, beside may be driving cab in Washington D.C. If your government policies are dictated by these type of people, your career as an Ethiopian Ambassador would be unsuccessful like your predecessor.
These people are to certain extent financed by your government and there true survival depends on polarizing the differences between your government and the Diaspora. There only survival depends if there is no meaningful dialogue with the Ethiopia government at in Diaspora.
This is also true on the options side. There also others that polarize a meaningful dialog.
04/16/11 @ 13:25
Comment from: Mesfen [Visitor]
Dear Fekade,
It is a nice open letter to weyane Ambasador, but I am surprised that you wanted to participate to this kind weyane meeting. I remeber back in the late 90s, I attended a meeting of meles zenawi after the Ethio-eritrean war, representing the Columbus, Oh Ethiopian compatriots . I have been fighting Derg-Weyane for atleast thirty years in EPRP. But, because of my that participation, I have been called weyane under cover agent. It hurts me to my bone, when people doubt my integrity to the struggle. Nevertheless, I know my self better than any one ; I continue my struggle ! as far as you are concerned, you still want to participate a weyane meeting, yet you are concidered a vocal opponent- which you are. I wonder if there is a double standard !
Mesfen
From Raleigh, NC
04/16/11 @ 13:49
Comment from: DJ [Visitor]
Selam!
This e-mail is regarding Ethiopians current political and economical discussion in general and here in diaspora in particular.
I have been lately following your discussion in this mater very closely. My opinion, regarding the main opponents, is that there are two groups, one who believes that his/her rightful place is taken from them therefore they will remain adamantly opponent regardless. And the other side, the current ruler, is afraid to be subjected again if they lose power.
Extremity is dangerous in both situations; it appears to be the everlasting struggle between too much fear (phobia), and self-importance (grandiose ego) I am advocating for neither of them, because I believe opinion/truth is based on self interest.
By the way let us designate the first Saturday/Sunday of April of every year as a "profanity day. And swear and curse each other as long as we support our country in at least building the basic infrastructures. School, road, hospital, power and food...are the basic human need of home-land Ethiopians as well, not only diasporas.
As A/American said: keep your eyes on the prize! Please Let us make Ethiopia the pride of black people not synonymous to starvation and shame. Since FEAR and Ego are psychological problems the quarrelling may last for long time to come; therefore, at least, use it wisely, we might benefit from unfortunate situation.
The overwhelming majority of Ethiopians are not fighting to be the ruler, neither to be ruled unfairly but they want to be dignified self sufficient human being. I proudly consider myself one of the silent majorities.
This e-mail is regarding Ethiopians current political and economical discussion in general and here in diaspora in particular.
I have been lately following your discussion in this mater very closely. My opinion, regarding the main opponents, is that there are two groups, one who believes that his/her rightful place is taken from them therefore they will remain adamantly opponent regardless. And the other side, the current ruler, is afraid to be subjected again if they lose power.
Extremity is dangerous in both situations; it appears to be the everlasting struggle between too much fear (phobia), and self-importance (grandiose ego) I am advocating for neither of them, because I believe opinion/truth is based on self interest.
By the way let us designate the first Saturday/Sunday of April of every year as a "profanity day. And swear and curse each other as long as we support our country in at least building the basic infrastructures. School, road, hospital, power and food...are the basic human need of home-land Ethiopians as well, not only diasporas.
As A/American said: keep your eyes on the prize! Please Let us make Ethiopia the pride of black people not synonymous to starvation and shame. Since FEAR and Ego are psychological problems the quarrelling may last for long time to come; therefore, at least, use it wisely, we might benefit from unfortunate situation.
The overwhelming majority of Ethiopians are not fighting to be the ruler, neither to be ruled unfairly but they want to be dignified self sufficient human being. I proudly consider myself one of the silent majorities.
04/16/11 @ 22:50
Comment from: Gifti [Visitor]
What is all these crocodile tears for denying the "official delegates" the right to conduct their meeting? Where were you when the regime they came to represent denied opposition parties in Ethiopia the same right to meet or gather in meeting halls or public squares? Did n't this government prohibited several times Birtukan and her colleagues at UDJ to meet in hotel conference rooms they have paid in advance? Did n't this government dispersed people who gathered to listen to Seye, Gebru or Aregash in Tigray towns by beating and harassing them. How many times have we heard Drs. Merara, Negasso or Bulcha Demeksa telling the world their supporters in Oromia have been beaten, thrown out to jail whenever they attempt to have gatherings. This is just what happened to those opposition parties registered officialy as legal or loyal opposition. How many people have died since TPLF took the helm of power in Ethiopia because they were found to "conduct illegal meetings" or "participate in illegal political rallies" as if the nation is under eternal state of emergency rule.
So where was your outrage then? Where are your appeals for civility?
Is n't this a sad irony when people who represent this regime cry wolf saying they are denied freedom of assembly in another country.
The worst thing that happened to them last week was disruption of their meeting or perhaps some salvo of strong languages from emotional crowd. Compare that with salvo of live bullets that poured on those who gathered for political rallies back in 2005.
For me, what the protestors did last week is similar to that of protestors who occupy Wisconsin parliament last month. One can accuse both they have trumped on others right to deliberate but still democracy allows dissent to be expressed in various but peaceful means and that's what Ethiopian diaspora activists have done.
Actually, those who have been interviewed by media representing the protestors should have exposed the sad irony I have mentioned above instead of talking about the ABAY GIDIB or the plot to divide the diaspora. Every time, the GIDIB is talked about, TPLF knows it is a winner on the PR front.
In the end, for those who are excited about government bonds issued by Liberation Fronts acting as governments, ask Eritreans who were asked and bought such bonds in euphoria or out of nationalistic sentiments. I wish our intellectuals shed light on this issue.
So where was your outrage then? Where are your appeals for civility?
Is n't this a sad irony when people who represent this regime cry wolf saying they are denied freedom of assembly in another country.
The worst thing that happened to them last week was disruption of their meeting or perhaps some salvo of strong languages from emotional crowd. Compare that with salvo of live bullets that poured on those who gathered for political rallies back in 2005.
For me, what the protestors did last week is similar to that of protestors who occupy Wisconsin parliament last month. One can accuse both they have trumped on others right to deliberate but still democracy allows dissent to be expressed in various but peaceful means and that's what Ethiopian diaspora activists have done.
Actually, those who have been interviewed by media representing the protestors should have exposed the sad irony I have mentioned above instead of talking about the ABAY GIDIB or the plot to divide the diaspora. Every time, the GIDIB is talked about, TPLF knows it is a winner on the PR front.
In the end, for those who are excited about government bonds issued by Liberation Fronts acting as governments, ask Eritreans who were asked and bought such bonds in euphoria or out of nationalistic sentiments. I wish our intellectuals shed light on this issue.
04/17/11 @ 00:23
Comment from: በቃ [Visitor]
በቃ የ ሽግር ኑሮ : በቃ የወያኔዎች ሆዳምነት : በቃ የ እትዮጵያ በ ጎሳ ክፍፍልነት : በቃ የሴቶች እትዮጵያውያን ወደ አረብ አገር ስደት : በቃ የ ውጪ ኩባንያ በነጻ የ አገራችንን መሬት መውሰድ : በቃ የ ውጪ ምንዛሪ ገንዘብን ወደ ራስ ኪስ ማሰገባት በቃ የወያኔዎች ውሸት እና አታላይነት::
በቃ::
በቃ::
በቃ::
04/17/11 @ 10:53
Comment from: sf [Visitor]
@ Gud = Woyane kid
Gud, you are good for nothing.
What you have learned in your life time was all lies and bad words.
I think you are one of Woyane kids. The Woyane kids only know to insult people.
Shame on you man. How can i considerd you as an Ethiopian when i always read
something unworthy.
From now on i call you Woyane kid.
Gud, you are good for nothing.
What you have learned in your life time was all lies and bad words.
I think you are one of Woyane kids. The Woyane kids only know to insult people.
Shame on you man. How can i considerd you as an Ethiopian when i always read
something unworthy.
From now on i call you Woyane kid.
04/17/11 @ 11:31
Comment from: BEKA [Visitor]
Gifti, I wouldn't agree "an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth" theory because as Mehtama Ghandi once said that everyone will be left without an eye and tooth : therefore the premises of your argument .
04/17/11 @ 12:56
Comment from: alemr [Visitor]
I know Fikade some 30 years ago.He is a person of integrity and not some cheap chauvnist. Thank you Fekade and your opinion is the opinion of lot of Ethiopians. We Ethiopians all "have a dream" that one day the opposition and the government will come to their senses and sit together and work for the common good. To us you "the opposition as well as Mr Mellese Zenawi" are the dear sons and daughters of Ethiopia.
04/18/11 @ 00:05
Comment from: gud [Visitor]
@sf
please go a head and call me woyane kid. I don't give shit!! when i wrote all the insult, it is because i got pieced off by your racist remark. i believe you people will understand such a kind of language. change yours and i will change. tit for tat.
please go a head and call me woyane kid. I don't give shit!! when i wrote all the insult, it is because i got pieced off by your racist remark. i believe you people will understand such a kind of language. change yours and i will change. tit for tat.
04/19/11 @ 11:57
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