LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
JANUARY 1998
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I find the article “A Reflection on Ethiopia and Ethiopianity” by Negussay Ayele (ER, Nov.-Dec. 1997) enlightening and informative. I appreciate the time he took to research: he completely stripped the myth that existed in the past decade. By doing so he brought to the readers—Ethiopians and non-Ethiopians—the reality of Ethiopia. The article also give a sense of pride and identity to those who are born here and to those who stayed here for far too long.
G. Demesse
Buena Park, CA
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The report about Ethiopian Airline's executives worry over the airline's image abroad is well founded (ER, Nov.-Dec. 97, “Ethiopian Airlines executives tour the U.S.”). The trouble undertaken by EAL's new executives looking into possibilities of expanding EAL's flight routes to reach the U.S. may be a positive business prospect, but before they develop and expand, they should maintain and consolidate the existing routes.
This is the thing. EAL's passengers, for the past five years, have been targets of luggage looters in London either going to or coming from home. Nothing has been done about it so far, for it happened on January 11, 1998, to a 16-year-old Ethiopian who after completing her visit in the U.S. boarded a British Airways flight from the U.S. to connect on EAL in London. She had a 6-hour stopover and upon her arrival in Addis Abeba she found that all her luggage were broken into and her belongings were stolen.
My own personal experience three years ago came to light when I heard of the news, for I was their victims on this route.
There is a “ring” at work in London. Whether they operate with the blessings of EAL executives or alone is still a question. But let the new EAL executives know that it is still in operation.
My repeated efforts to reach EAL officials in London to report this incident since Jan. 12 have not been a success. On a working day in London there is no one to pick up the phone at EAL's end. There was no recording either. May I suggest installing a voice-mail?
Almaz Worku
Oakland, CA
