feel the need …….

(By Sintayehu Tefera, Ethiopian Politics Contributor)

Kinijit, as its Amharic name implies is the coming together of a variety of functions for a common good and a better political strength.

This is not an easy task in todays Ethiopia. The ethnocentric MENFES (DABILOS) tplf introduced is racking major havoc. There is the olf , the onlf, onkfkd, grfedsfsdsdf, ETC........ all vying for their chance at self determination.

As the saying goes "Careful What You Wish For". Learn from our new neighbor, or as MENGE refers to it OUR KIFLEHAGER, Eritrea. Their dream of a utopian society, with streets overflowing with milk and honey has been replaced with the horrible nightmares of SAWA and the real ISAYAS AFEWERKI whom everyone now agrees is a certified schizophrenic.

And they (Eritreans) have had over 30 years of planning with a substantial flow of income from their Diaspora. Now what is Ogaden to do if ONLFs wish is granted??......

Anyways back to the point, Kinijit and UEDF have shown us that unity can be achieved even in todays Ethiopia.
The notion of Ethiopian brotherhood is still there in most of us, dormant though it may be.
What they (CUDP, UEDF) have started in Addis Ababa (or finfine for Political reasons) we should be able to continue here ( in the U.S, Europe, ...)

AhA, but here is the catch. Do we have the strong leaders with strong Diplomatic and persuasive skills who can in the words of William Wallace (or Le BoLe lijoch Mel Gibson), unite us! Unite the clans!

CUDP and UEDF were possible because of the gigantic personalities,amenable disposition and commanding presence of its leaders. But here in the Diaspora there is a serious lack of leadership.

We need a leader .... Now that the CUDP and UEDF leaders in Addis are shipped to concentration camps by ADOLF ZENAWI.. the need to continue the struggle from here is immense.

And we need someone to lead us and unite us. UNITE the tigres, oromos, amharas, gurages ..., with a clear agenda and a focused, step by step plan of resistance.

WE NEED a MOSES ..

Mightier than the sword

(By Dr.Yonnas Gondemo, Ethiopian Politics Contributor)

In this country, the pen is truly mightier than the sword. The Meles Zenawi Regime has started an information war directed at influencing the American government and its public. The information we have received indicates that there has been a highly organized government backed effort to flood internet sites with petitions, posts and e-mails targeting elected U.S public officials.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the information war has officially began .

We call upon all able and willing Ethiopians (those with a computer or a pen) to join us in this struggle. We extend our deep appreciation to those of you who are already engaged in this information war and urge all Ethiopians in the Diaspora not to be weary. Petitions, letter writing and e-mails are important. Melse Zenawi knows it and so do we.

We urge you not to miss any opportunity to show your solidarity and to stand behind the fallen heroes of Addis Ababa.

In Support of VOA’s Amharic Program (a voice to the voiceless)

We the undersigned Ethiopians, Ethio-Americans and friends of Ethiopia who are concerned and disturbed by the Ethiopian government’s deliberate attempt to shut down all free press and journalistic activities, here by, alert the US Broadcasting Board of Governors of the government’s recent attempts to discredit and disrupt free media not only in Ethiopia but also here in the United States of America.

The Voice of America (VOA) is an international multimedia broadcasting service funded by the U.S. government through the Broadcasting Board of Governors. It is paid by American tax dollars to render service strictly to foreign audience. VOA is an extension of US foreign policy and a means to extend democratic influence and American values to the rest of the world.

The Amharic service of the VOA has been on air since 1982 and has been serving the people of Ethiopia in various educational, entertainment and current affairs programs. In the past two decades, the VOA Amharic program has been the only source of unbiased, relevant news for Ethiopians around the globe. It is exemplary in its professional exercise of journalism and its inclusion of diverse voices.

At this very moment, in Ethiopia, there is not a single newspaper, television or radio station that is not owned by the government. In a move that rivals the Marxist government of Mengistu Hailemariam (former military leader of Ethiopia), the current leader Meles Zenawi has jailed almost all members of the free press. Those who were not arrested are in hiding or are currently seeking asylum in a foreign country.

According to the CPJ (Committee to Protect Journalists), the Ethiopian government is involved in a heavy-handed attempt to intimidate the independent press and to suppress news of the protests and deaths in Addis Ababa. It further states that the Security forces are detaining not only the family members of the journalists that are in hiding but also the medical workers that gave information about the casualties of the recent protests.

We believe that VOA Amharic, at its core, shares one of the founding principles of the United States of America, freedom of expression. It is for this reason VOA Amharic has come to be a threat and an enemy of the Meles Zenawi Regime.

We urge the US Broadcasting Board of Governors to encourage the spread of democracy in Africa by supporting VOA (Amharic) and by standing firm against all Ethiopian government backed demands to disrupt or discontinue the single remaining, democratic media outlet for Ethiopians.


We thank you for your time, and look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,
Dr. Yonnas Gondemo

petition the U.S Congress

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/democraticethiopia

A Letter to the International Community

Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa has been in turmoil since yesterday November1, 2005. Security Forces loyal to the Meles Zenawi Regime have massacred unarmed civilians and are continuing to do so at this very moment. Elected public officials and scholars are being jailed and tortured. Among the many who have been detained and whose whereabouts are unknown are:

1. Engineer Hailu Shawel (president of the CUD)
2. Dr. Berhanu Nega (elected mayor of Addis Ababa)
3. Dr Befekadu Degeffe (member of CUD's executive committee)
4. Dr. Hailu Araya (member of CUD's executive committee)
5. Prof. Mesfin Wolde Mariam (founder of Ethiopia's Human Rights Council, EHRCO)

On the day the Security Council has voted to sanction Syria for the killing of one person, they have failed to speak out against the killings of numerous Ethiopians.We emphatically urge the international community to take an immediate action to stop these atrocities. Help us in our endeavor to build a free and democratic Ethiopia.

Dr. Yonnas Gondemo