From: mafewor@erenj.bitnet (Mobae Afeworki)
Subject: Re: Ethiopia:issues(was Ethiopia: response to Zemen's misinformation.
Followup-To: soc.culture.african
Organization: ER&E, Clinton, NJ.  Opinions solely the author's, not the Company's.
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 18:23:56 GMT

In article <63576@mimsy.umd.edu>, matt@umiacs.umd.edu (Mahteme Metaferia)
wrote:
> 
> I am often fascinated by all these anonymous correspondences between 
> Oromos, Eritreans, Tigres, Amharas, Monarchists, etc,.  However, due to the 
> enormous lack of objectiveness that most of these articles suffer, I 
> frequently find a good number of them too boring to read to end.
> 
> Assuming that the majority of those with network access are somewhat highly
> educated, it surprises me that such a high volume of arrogant, racist and
> pointless rubbish flows through the traffic.
> 
> I don't recall ever reading an article whereby someone expresses concern over
> Ethiopia's perpetually crumbling economic system, or views on how to establish
> a functioinal government -- not even one article based on a shred of truth.
> Modern technology at our disposal; and all those who talk loudest express 
> factional militantism, tribal affiliations  and shallow emotions. 
> 
> I don't believe it is constructive and intelligent to write things like,
> how many Ethiopians were killed by Eritreans, or how the Oromo are going to
> rise up and kill off everyone else, and why the Tigre are in power just to
> dismantle Ethiopia's economy and return to Tigrei to live a rich and wealthy
> life, and all sorts of other juvenile and unfounded opinions.
> 
> How about some civilized discussions on:
> - the outcome of the upcoming referundum vote


	I predict that the outcome of the referendum is going to be something like
93:7 in favor of independence. Although you have not raised it, I hear a
lot of ramblings on its objectiveness and on how the Eritrean people are
not given more choices..... As far as the objectiveness of it is concerned,
nobody should have any doubt about it. The Provisional Government of
Eritrea (PGE) has invited so many organizations and individuals to
participate in it as observers. I might add that some of this were ardent
supporters of the Derg, and were bleeding the Eritrean people for years.
With all these "eyes" watching, it is beyond belief that the outcome will
be staged, as some people are charging.
	Another issue that comes to mind is whether the Transitional Gov't of
Ethiopia "has the legal and moral authority" to allow Eritrea "to secede."
My response to this is, if it had not agreed on May of '91 to go ahead with
the referendum that the EPLF proposed the only alternative that would be
left for the EPLF would have been to declare independence right away. Some
Eritreans wanted to do just this, but I think the majority opted for the
wiser approach--to wait for two more years and have a peoples decision on
the issue.

>- predictions on the future of Ethiopia (with or without Eritrea)

	Based on my prediction above, Ethiopia should contemplate life without
Eritrea. Come May, Eritrea is going to be independent. How will the future
of Ethiopians be? I don't think it will be drastically different. The
Eritrean people have a lot in common with the Ethiopian people. And, I
believe, under peaceful conditions they will ones again learn to live with
each other (without senselessly killing each other) and eventually the
meaning of the Ethio-Eritrean border will be symbolic. I hope this will be
the trend between the Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea.... eventually
leading to a federal state of the nations in the horn and beyond. I realize
that this is a very optimistic view, given the current political system of
the region....but it is one that we all should strive for.

>- or any other thought generated by the HUMAN brain!!!!
>

How about the effect of the devaluation of the Birr (Ethiopian currency)
[from 1$US=2.07EtBirr to 1$US=5.0EtBirr] on the Ethiopian economy...right
away and in the long run? I hope you are not one of those that require
people to be Ethiopian first to discuss issues involving Ethiopia, for I am
not Ethiopian.

>
>
>M. Metaferia
>College Park, MD

Good day. 
                     MOBAE
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All opinions expressed above are mine, ONLY. I do not represent,
nor am I a spokesperson of, any party/organization...!!