Newsgroups: soc.culture.african


> In article <63576@mimsy.umd.edu> matt@umiacs.umd.edu (Mahteme Metaferia) writes:
> >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.
> >
   ... stuff deleted .....
> >
Now, this is quite a sweeping statement. But I believe you have a good point.
Let us hope we can try to seek the truth as much as we can and learn from
each others' point of views. Undoubtedly, there will be some who will paint
black EVERYTHING that the Transitional Government of Ethiopia does, not 
willing to appreciate and accept the significant stride the country is making 
towards peace and democracy.
> >
> 
In soc.culture.african, sofia_g@athena.mit.edu (Sofia Gebru) writes:

> [The strongest opposition to the present government invariably seems to come
> from people who cannot stomach the thought of Eritrea seceding (or becoming
> independent....i don't want to be taken to task for saying seceding).  Anyway
> my point is that if people can just forget about Eritrea and focus on 
> Ethiopia, some of the opposition forces might see more eye to eye with the 
> present government.
> Also some of the forces that are agitating and saying that they would go to 
> warand "save" Eritrea could channel the money they are collecting to some 
> productive ends.  I hope that all this tension surrounding the referundum 
> will soon dissipate once Eritrea officially secedes from Ethiopia.]
> 
> I personally believe that the present government has been doing a good job 
> so far.  If all the members, be it the OLF, the AAO, the EPRDF, etc would 
> find a common ground and all work together to restore the decades of damage 
> on the Ethiopian economy, all would be good and well.  However, if all the 
> parties resort to force to make their opinions the law, I fear that Ethiopia 
> would become another Somalia.    
>
By the way from your e-mail address, sofia_g@athena.mit.edu I am judging you
are either working or doing your studies at MIT. Congratulations! [I have 
fond :) memories of it for the sleepless hours I spent many years back.]

I agree with you. I believe that some common ground could be found if there is
desire, effort and cooperation among the various parties involved in Ethiopia.
But judging from the way the few chauvinists are saying, I doubt they will 
ever want democracy and peace in Ethiopia. To them democracy means to rule like
their predecesors did. They will go to great lengths to try to achieve their
goal. Whether they will actually achieve their goal is another matter! 

My observation is narrow nationalism is a lesser threat, and it emanates from
the suffering of the people for decades. Thus organizations like OLF, though
I don't agree with some of their actions, tactics and strategies, I do belief
are fundamentally for the cause of the oppressed and do not see them in the
same category as the few die-hard chauvinist organizations who want the old
order. 
> >
> >M. Metaferia
> >College Park, MD
> 
> PS I heard that AAU was officially closed.  Does anybody know some details about the situation?  No malicious speculations please.   
> 
Yes I heard this too. Now, here is what I heard in brief.  It seems many of 
the teachers and administration at the Addis Ababa University are former 
WPE (The Dergue's Worker's Party of Ethiopia) members, who have grown bold 
enough and encouraged by and communicating with the chauvinist elements in the
US, etc; to publish an open "ultimatum" to the Transitional Government stating,
among others that: i) They don't recognize the government, ii) They oppose the
referendum in Eritrea, iii) No police or government official is to set foot in 
the University campus, iv) that they can demonstrate when and where they want,
since they don't recognize the government anyway, v) condemned the police 
action at Addis Ababa University demonstration.

Again, continuing to state what I heard, the above "ultimatum" was read on
national TV, but then the government answered back with the following actions:
   1) The President and two vice-presidents were fired from their jobs.
   2) The University was closed indefinitely and all facilities closed.

I must say these actions by the government seem to be drastic. There are, I am 
sure a lot of innocents that will be affected due to activities (by both sides) 
beyond their control. All of us will no doubt hear a different version to this
story.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african