Bertukan Mideksa
By kaffa (blogger)
Source: Jimma Times
Even before she comes back to Ethiopia, people all over are talking about Birtukan Medeksa, the CUD vice-President. She has certainly overshadowed the Chairman Hailu Shawel. I am sure the corruption inside Hailu’s camp has been one of the reasons for her success. Rumors of corruption as crazy as Hailu buying houses in America and wasting the money of innocent supporters of CUD party are spreading around. If these rumors are false, it is a saddening indication that Ethiopians have not stopped using character assassination as a political tool yet. If these rumors are true, how much worst can Hailu’s camp get??
Anyway, Birtukan is capturing the hearts of many people. Those who used to say Birtukan Medeksa is Oromo only in her name are now praising her because of her plans for an all-inclusiveness of her CUD party. Until now, some Oromo and other southern people were supporting her CUD party just because they hate the ruling party. But if Birtukan manages to change the one-ethnic face of CUD, her party will unquestionably win any election in Ethiopia. Her party’s Amharic name “Kinijit” meaning Unity has been seen as a unity between Amhara and Gurage ethnicities, but now it can become a unity among all ethnicities. At least that is what most people hope.
But there are many important questions to be answered. If her party moves forward to include more ethnicities and thus the interests of more ethnicities, then wouldn’t the foundation, manifesto and identity of the party change also? After all, a notable portion of the Ethiopian population deeply suppports groups like OFDM, ONLF, ONC, OLF and other ethnic based opposition groups. Even though all seek democracy and other common values, there are important specific policies that these ethnic organizations possess. And some of these policies are in deep contradiction to Birtukan’s CUD policies. So she must know that the current Birtukan-mania is growing in the anticipation of her party adopting some new policies that are accommodating for the above portion of the Ethiopian population.
37 thoughts on “Bertukan-mania spreads throughout Ethiopia”
W/R Birtukan deserve to be the next Cud leader.
does anyone think oromo people would love Birtukan medeksa more than they love OLF?? more than OFDM? debatable.
if bloggers from the pro-CUD oromo website jima times thinks birtukan is loved in oromia, that does NOT mean all OLF supporters will switch to kinijit!!
Now, I see that the dispute in Kinijit leadership is changing its face. People remember why Kinijit was so popular to begin with. Kinijit doesn’t need to change any of its policies. For the other ethnic base issues there are OLF, ONLF and TPLF. The majority of the Ethiopian people reject those ethnic base organizations and choose Kinijit for reason. Now, the media is pushing the Kinijit leaders dispute to unwanted direction, if the Kinijit leaders don’t do something abut it quick, it will be hard to work together for long time to come.
please do not talk this is oromo that is amahara and so on.Ethiopia once and for all will be ruled not by Amahara or oromo or others but by rule of law that equaliy treat all nation or ethinic groups in ethiopia. no more a question of from which ethinic group the leader will be,it is a question of respecting the rule of law and democracy.We have to learn from isayas and melese(they did not solve the question of their own ethinic groups) so what is the benift of this ethinic groups,that ethinic groups? that is noneses.
Please stop this line of thinking!!!! We should be concerned about Ethiopia not Ethnic groups. That’s one of the important beauties of CUP. Who cares if Hailu is Amhara, Birtukane Oromo or Birhanu gurage!!!!!! Let’s focus on one Ethiopia. I really am angry about this article which tries to divert attention in that sense. Please stop it and let our CUD be about one and one Ethiopia and her one people, Ethiopians!!!!
Everybody watch out!
In the first place I don’t get the point why this article is posted from the blog to this website here I fell evil it aim to push the kinijit leaders dispute to unwanted or unpredicted direction why is that?
what is going on?
the article smell good when it’s bad so why posted here? just to create confusion or what?
Dear Editor: please don’t post just post all the article you have recived. I beleive you have a mind that can rationalize what is good for the party and the country.some of the article you are posting is totaly garbage and they are dividing my people and killing our unity. it is because you are jornalist and this is your blog that does not give you the right to post something like this. YOU ARE JUST BEING A MORON!
I don’t think it is intellectually honest to ignore the ethnic realities of today’s Ethiopia. As much we all would have liked not to even disscus any issue along ethnic lines, the reality, however, indicates otherwise. Ethiopians have been ruled and organized under ethnic lines for the last 17 years. It has become part of our psyche. However, ethnic division and awareness, handled skillfully, could be used positively as well. Being proud of who we are as a particular ethnicity we can also be proud Ethiopians. Our kinijit leaders such as Birtukan Mideksa will benefit a lot by articulating this balance. The biggest weakness of some of pro unity/ultra nationalist wanabees is that the mere mention of non amhara ethiopians or their cultures is offensive to their being. For them, for instance, any mention of a southern ethiopian culture or tradition is a threat to their existence. While I am fiercely Ethiopian, my ethnicity and the particular culture and tradition, language and history within my group is very important. It is funny to notice how ethnically sensitive these people are while at the same time they are telling us ethnic awareness is bad. I think it is high time that kinijit got bolder and reached out to all Ethiopians. Be an inclusive party. Oromos will be proud to be represented by this rising star, Birtukan Mideksa. All Ethiopians will be proud to be represented by Birtukan Mideksa as well.
Why start by saying this should not be published or only that should be published. If you have a point to make pro or con you are free to state it. Learn to live with freedom of speech. If you are confused say ” I am confused” and do not assume what is said or written is creating confusion.
Understand what it means to defend anyone’s RIGHT to express his thought and that doesn’t mean you have to agree with every thing written or said.
I have my own points on the subject of ethnicity visa vis with the objective of CUD. If you go back to the time of the famous May 2005 activities, the record can verify that CUD won EPRDF just becuase it took all course of Ethiopians behind it. i would like to confirm to anyone that ethnicity does not have a place in CUD. CUD had never been and will never be for any specific ethnic group or groups. it is just very unique in its structure and is the only seal and identity of Ethiopians and Ethiopia. instead of complaining why the issue is raised, we should raise our voice and try to send very clear message in condemning the divertion of the main objective, which is democracy, united Ethiopia under the party and leadership of CUD.
BR//
yigermal
10.31.2007.
CUD has never ever been AMhara affiliated party at all… this is Weyanes’s propaganda… they are just trying to engrave hesitaion in people’s mind.. but nobody listens to them.. everybody knows how TPLF people are handling things..
Equality to all nations!
Long live CUD!
The author of this article needs to get over with ethnic politics and be part of the movement centered on Ethiopian nationalisim.Kinijit is the power house of the struggle against the ethno-fascist dictatorship of Melese Zarqawi(Zenawi).Being an Oromo,Tigre or Amhara should not be a measurement to lead the party (CUD)instead Ethiopianess should be.
Why are some of you worried about different ethnicity. Kinijit has no place for that rabish. Ethiopians are Ethiopians period. You are wasting time with old feudal, tribalist, narow nationalist poison that killed the country. Bertukan is well educated, open minded future leader of Ethiopia she doesn’t have time for that. Listen to her speechs and educate your self. God Bless Bertukan
It is unity in diversity that must be the vision of Bertukan. This inelligent and charismatic lady will no doubt make her contributions to our dreams for a united and prosperous Ethiopia in which the rights of all her citizens and the rule of law is respected. There is a Herculean task ahead of us to end the abuses of the Weyanne regime. We democrats need to unite even more to give support to leaders like Bertukan and her colleagues in Kinijit who will not fall prey to parochial political views.
I guess the writer doesn’t have a slight of clue about CUD. May be the writer has been freezed for a couple of years. Kinijit is all about democracy, individual democracy in particular. It is open and accomodate all human beings. Uless and otherwise the political organizations that the writer mentioned are a group of animals, CUD is open for them too. What are expected from them is (1) being a human, (2) respect and abide by the basic principles and tools of democracy. Those are up to them not CUD’s problem. The writer should have asked them why they did not join CUD rather than asking CUD to override the basic principles of democracy to accomodate those who are not governed by genuine democracy!
To Elias
beside giving you my warm greating, i am a bit worried about this article (bertukan-mania spreads throughout Ethiopia). although it was quoted from another blogger, it should come to ur mind such articles are so controversial. it seems the writer is trying to tell us CUD was Amhara party and now coz of bertukan temporary leadership the party has changed, which is untrue at all. CUD has been ethiopian people’s party and it will be forever.
Dear African people,
It is known that identity is built through long nartures( langage, location, networking, poletics, economy, calture, religion, and others). Ethinicity is one form of identity but it is not the only identity of a human being. Colonialists use ethinicity for their advantage. Now Ethiopia is the only conolozed country in Africa in the 21st century. We have to struggle againest this. To learn more the bad side of trib poletics just read Mandela’long walk to freedom’-What the Inkatta groups did againest their African brothers, and also read the way out of Mandela. We can also see our brothers in Somalia.”Ethiopia is for all ethiopians live in her land and in her name in abroad”
By the way we all are Africans, how one live in peace with nabour and love others if he is not willing to live in peace with people in same country and love people in same country?
Don’t forget i am not saying building blocks of somebodies’s idenentity should be ignored at all but 51% of identity should goes to Ethiopianism and Africanism.
ethal from Addis Ababa
This is really none sense. There is no way she should look for any other policy than the one she is already running! This is the right track she and her group have brought to Ethiopians. Just to simply make hape racists no policy of CUD should be changed. CUD after all have already accomodiated equally all Ethiopians regardless of the Ethinic group they belong to. It is you who is saying CUD as if it were dominated by Amhara and Guragie. The fact actually is not that. It is simply run by individuals irrespective of from which ethinic group they are who feel the pain of their people (all ethiopians) and great remorse about their country Ethiopia. It is all based on free mind! not based on racism, and narrow ethinicism! This is the choice and policy of Birtukan and her group. Therefore there is no way they should go back and try to accomodiate people based on their ethinic function. We have already had excess of Ethinicism and division. Today we are highly yearning for non racist ideology and unity.
CUDP’s success so far and in the future rests only on its vision and the leaders commitment for the same, but not on who is the leader or from which ethnic group he/she is. When Ethiopians from all ethnic groups (the Oromos, Amaras, Tigress, Gurages, Gambelas, etc.) voted for CUDP, it was not because of ethnic considerations. Also, it should not imply that people who voted for CUDP do not have ethnic concerns. Rather what is interesting of CUDP is that its vision is the best in bringing all the diverse groups together and ensuring national unity that exceeds unity of geographic boundary and attain unity of minds of its citizens based on respect, equality and love.
The reason individuals and groups support CUD is because of its vision and commitment for democratic Ethiopia that respects individual and group rights and where the rule of law reigns. We should not bother about who is the leader, but what is the vision and purpose of the party. Let us not get confused with ideas destined to obstruct our focus from our goal.
There could be genuine reasons for Ethiopians to be organized along ethnic lines. While the basic question remains to be that of equality and justice, the regimes in Ethiopia have been trying to deny the very existence of such diversities in Ethiopia let alone address their questions, usually in the pretext of national unity. Some of us have been caught in this trap that we still think ethnic based organizations are threats to the unity of the country. I personally know no ethnic organization that has the agenda to disintegrate Ethiopia. Rather they should be recognized as powerful forces in the fight against dictatorship, discrimination and injustice in Ethiopia.
“Unity in Diversity”
Can we talk more about that? What do we need to do to maintain ETHIOPIAN UNITY while respecting the ethnic/linguistic DIVERSITY of its citizens? Imho, this is THE MOTHER OF ALL QUESTIONS FOR OUR COUNTRY.
For me, CUDP has come closer to answering this question than any other political party in Ethiopia
Elias,
You should watch out the disinformation campaign that is being waged by Jimma Times. Jimma Times is a Woyane propganda machince and its attempt is to send subtle messages of disinformation to confuse the ungurded reader. Usually you find this disimformation towards the end. Jimmas times starts with some news that is true and refelcts the views of the opposition and later skews it so that the reader is left bewildered and the aim is eventually Woyane’s idea triumphs.
In the above article, after discussing the support Bertukan is gaining among Ethiopians, Jimma times spews the disinformation like this: “After all, a notable portion of the Ethiopian population deeply suppports groups like OFDM, ONLF, ONC, OLF and other ethnic based opposition groups. Even though all seek democracy and other common values, there are important specific policies that these ethnic organizations possess. And some of these policies are in deep contradiction to Birtukan’s CUD policies.” This is false and does not reflect the views of most Ethiopians. The support of the LF’s in Ethiopia is limited and people are not willing to surrender their individual democratic rights to such group rights. The idea is by sending this wrong infomration, Woyane continues to divide Ethiopians along ethnic lines, and people will start looking at CUD more suspiciously. DOWN WITH JIMMA TIMEA, A NOT SO SMART WOYANE MOUTHPIECE!!
WE all a bit fast and emotionally immature yet. We proved it with Haile Selassie and Mengistu even with woyane too. We are fast to lift banners high above the sky and fast to do the opposite. May God of mercy visit our heart and our land!
Tazabi wrote, “Why are some of you worried about different ethnicity. Kinijit has no place for that rabish.”
If CUD has no agenda about the different ethinicity in ethiopia and considers as rabish, you have no place in that country. You will disappear soon.
Cheers
The latest trend in Ethiopian politics is label everything woyane when you find it challenging to your views. This article is brilliant in its analysis and conclusion. It says that while the libration fronts may share a common goal of seeking democracy with CUD, they also contradict in many important issues—like their dream of secession. That is absolutely true.
The other disturbing trend is that any mention of any ethnic group in any context is being portrayed as anti Ethiopian. It got to the point that Ethiopians are being asked to deny who they are as certain ethnic groups. What is wrong to say that the people of Oromo should be included in the political process of the CUD party? What is wrong in suggesting that CUD should play active roles in many beautiful ethiopian minority ethnic group cultures and lives? Why are the so many ethiopian traditions, cultures, languages, histories, etc. a threat to Ethiopian unity? Guess what? These pseudo nationalists are not worried about Ethiopian unity. They are worried about the emergence of other pop cultures in Ethiopia. They are worried about the end of one dominant culture. They are worried about the reshaping of Ethiopian identity in which they might be a competing, not a dominant, member of the Ethiopian peoples. Ethiopians have never been one people. They will never be one people. However, if the current “I know it all for you” mentality is reversed, if “I will come from Gondar and govern you in Bale” mentality is erased, if someone has to abandon his Kembata identity to be accepted as Ethiopian is stopped, then and only then our unity will be assured. I just don’t understand why anyone should be angry for suggesting that CUD should be more inclusive. Unless, of course, you are one of those I described above. Have a good day. And be proud of your ethic identity and also a proud Ethiopian!!!!!!!!
Elias,
No worry about the ‘woyane’ disinformation. You are not supposed to control them. Let them come to the stage and exhaust all their thoughts, until they give up the fight.
CUDP is not like a bunch of tomatoes that can easily be crashed; instead it is like gold that gains purity every time it is tested with fire. The more it is tested the more it shines and attracts the minds of more people.
For those who are trying to confuse CUDP’s supporters on ethnic issues they can not succeed for CUDP is open for discussion and leaders are easily accessible to answer questions. Among the factors ‘Kinjit’ is loved for is it’s transparent and participatory leadership. ‘Kinijit’ has no hidden agenda. Its agenda for each and every citizen is justice, rule of law, freedom of expression, freedom of organization, equality, democratic governance, and so on. These are the principles that bring Ethiopians together; regardless of Ethnic origin. If such individual rights are respected no question of ethnicity will be difficult to address.
Opening up CUD is good news! I am from Ogaden region of Ethiopia and have been supporting EPRDF but because EPRDF lacks ethnic balance, although it claims the opposit, I am willing to look another direction. CUD is popolur among all Ethiopians, the problem with it was “being one ethnic party.” No that it seems being reengineered and that the old face “Hailu” is out of the picture, I believe many Ethiopians of all walks will line up for registration!
Birtukan is our leader. Ethnically she is Oromo but she is first and foremost Ethiopian. Does any body have a problem with that? Those who have the problem, please get over and move on. A free, democratic and united Ethiopia and being of Oromo origin mutually reinforce one another. They are not mutually exclusive. We have to remember that the struggle for genuine democracy in Ethiopia is the struggle for inclusiveness. It transcends ethnicity, geographic origin or economic class. Birtukan has a vision and a strategy to democratize and unite Ethiopia genuinely in a way unseen in the past. She is a forward looking unifying young leader not entangled to ethnic background and past mistakes that occurred in our history. All of us have to rally behind this promising brilliant young leader regardless of our ethnic origin and support the struggle of the Ethiopian people for freedom and democracy. If we support her and the CUDP leadership as the whole, they have the potential to deliver on their promises. It is a blessing to have such visionary and courageous leaders but there is so much they can do without our full, steady and unflinching support in the months and years ahead. We have to expect that the months and years ahead to be very challenging and decisive in some sense both for our leaders and us, the Ethiopian people. We have to tighten our belts and fold up our sleeves. We shall overcome.
Awoke
If we take our time and understand the basic principles of CUD and the confusion will be cleared. From day one of its declaration as a party- CUD is for all Ethiopians. the election of 2005 had proved this and the dark age is gone. Ethnicity is not an issue for CUD. Let us make use of our time on the current problems and solutions of CUD. enough discussion is made about ethnicity and enough is enough. those of you with different agendas, please make up your mind and change your strategy otherwise come and join us
and enjoy the bright futurity with CUD.
BR//
yigermal
11.01.2007.
From the beginning it was clear thaat Ethiopians wouldn’t submit their democratic rights to Woyanne antidemocratic regime.
Ethiopians planned all the way to choose the ones who could positively and courageously lead them to victory. when the election came, the Woyanne regime failed mainly because it had never been the democratic voice of the people by the people.
To shrink or to smudge?
Actually, what is there in the package of the Bologger?
As it was expected the Blogger in a Halloween Costume exposed himself as a. saddened lonesome mainly because the Blogger knowingly and arrogantly failed to and distinguish between ethnic based groups and people oriented legitimate democratic organization All the way from the beginning to the end the Blogger deliberately attempted to pock our eyes with poisoned-lased pair of chopsticks and failingly, the Blogger also attempted to num our mind with ethnicity venom. Is that fair?
Ethiopians, how many of you did notice that the blogger’s own explanation is simply nothing but glorifying and spreading the flue of ethnicity?
The disgraced Woyanne regime is failing again and again chiefly because the foundation, the manifestation, and the last but not the least, its identity all were based on unfruitful ethnic politics. Isn’t this fact?
One of our questions is, has the blogger been successful in fooling us? Not at all, not us. May be the blogger should come back disguising as any operative cell as he wants to be if enjoys being a failure.
What Ethiopians, Democratic Leaders, and Birtukan stand on, the foundation is people, the policy is democratic and people oriented, and the shared-goal is the democratic Ethiopia.
Alebabsewu biyarsu bearem yimelesu!
I have read all the comments posted so far. All but few seem to contribute positively to advancing CUD. The article is one of the best I have ever read. The problem is people are still thinking with their old minds of 19th century. The Ethiopian nations and nationalities know what fits them and do not need to be told “This program is god and that is bad for you”. The CUD has many problems in its program that doesn’t represent the interests of the different Ethnicities, including those of Oromos. We have been aware of this and watching the moves of CUD for so long. It is good news that someone suggested these problems be addressed. Why then are so much noise among the people who are pseudonationalists while in reality they are after their perceived personal or group interests?
For me as an Oromo, there is nothing I gain from CUD as it is now but I will lose a lot. Why should I support CUD then? People are telling us CUD is for all and is not for that or this ethnic group and yet we know the people behind the party. Lets be frank and tackle the problems that has been on our ways to progress. I don’t want anyone to tell me that CUD is the best for me as it is now and it will not be my best choice even if it clears the suspicions; but at least that will make some people indifferent to the party and reduces hostilities. For example, all ethinic groups, except Amhara and maybe Gurage, will not support the idea of “individual right only” as group right contains within it individual rights; They don’t support the one language policy; they do not support anything that tries to destroy the current federal arrangement.
It is better to realize these facts and make some ammendments rather than covering it up because as the saying goes, alebabsew biyarsu bearem yimelesu.
Finally, I would like to disclose my appreciation to the writer and Elias Kifle for posting the article. Only dynamic people who can learn from the past and call a spade a spade can succeed in todays Ethioia. The old time has gone for good!
Show me one country where ethnic based politics and governance has been effective and worthwhile!
Ethnicity based politics is the most idiotic, divisive, backward, and destructive form of politics. History has shown us in Africa where colonialists used it to frustrate and destroy liberation struggles, independence movement, development, and democratic governance. It has destroyed people’s aspiration for rule of law, liberty, and secured future in communist countries like Russia, Eastern Europe, and Asia. It has caused unimaginable violence, genocide, wars, hunger, and backwardness in very many countries.
The question of security, safety, advancement, and liberty of a person or groups can only be addressed through the rule of law, constitutional rights of the person, and democratic governance. Ethnic based politics can not guarantee security, safety, advancement, and liberty of a person or groups. It is always in contradiction with the rule of law, constitutional rights of the person, and democratic governance. The pre-requisite for these is the inalienable rights of the individual. There is no rule of law, constitutional rights of the person, and democratic governance without the inalienable rights of the individual. CUD is for the rule of law, constitutional rights of the person, and democratic governance and can guarantee security, safety, advancement, and liberty of a person or groups irespective of ethnic identities.
Thanks Elias,
You should be proud of your self.
You were the first one who broke the news of Dictator Hailu’s huge house in Mineapolis. Now, every body all over Ethiopia is talking about it and is one of the main reasons Ethiopians, in side Ethiopia, are condemning the corrupt Hailu.
Keep it up, you are doing a wonderfull job.
Now, I understand when people say “a single person can make a big difference”.
Look Mekuanint,
If you think Jimma Times is not promoting Woyane causes, then you must be one of the gullible ones I mentioned. Jimma Times is a Woyane mouthpiece, period, and right now any thing that comes from the mouth of Woyane is discredited. The Woyane bunch has quite a track record of being crooks, disinformers, assasins, tyrant-lovers, and gnererally a minority hegemonic group that is determined to stay in power in Ethiopia at any cost.
Follow the politically tinged reports of Jimma Times and you don’t have to be a nuclear scientists to realize that Jimma Times just promotes Woyane interest. At one point it tried to console us (especially you ethnocentric fools) that although almost all in the leadership in Ethiopia currently are from Tigrai, we should be okay since those below are from the regions, and that we should be happy since that is a “better record” from previous regimes.
Besides, the fanning of ethnic baggage as you Mekuanint are doing is aimed at empowering a few of the ethnic elites. That issue is something to be dealt with in a democratic atmoshphere where inidividuals can fully exercise their rights without fear or favor. You Mekuanint and your likes are afraid of inidividual freedoms since that will deny you ethnic elites from assuming power through the backdoor of group rights. You ethnic elites are imposing your personal ambitions on the population even not hesitating to use force to achieve it. OLF, by the mere fact that it is from Oromia, cannot take the Oromo people carte blanche and assume they side with its program. That is why you guys are afraid of multi-ethnic platforms of CUD since that will expose your shaky base and hidden motives.
Jimma Times is even worse than you Mekuanint. By appearing to propagate ethnic, rights its actual intention is to show that we are divided and Woyane is a better alternative. So watch out even for you guys what is written on Jimma Times. It is a Woyaen-controlled paper, not part of the free media.
In short the number one priority for all Ethiopians should be to get rid of dictatorship. Every single citizen benefits from this, regardless of ethnicity. The only ones who are trying to put trembling stone for CUDP are those who are benefiting from dictatorial rule in one way or another.
CUD’s policy is straightforward: its struggle is for a democratic system where all issues get solution through discussion. I think CUD never intends to impose a readymade solution for the complex problems of Ethiopia, as the dictators have been trying. What we need is a system of governance where the people enjoy their rights to discuss on national issues and determine their destiny. Thus, the focus is on getting a system capable of handling issues in a peaceful way. And there is none, but democracy.
I am surprised by the fact that there are people who still think of the old mentality “one language, one ethnic, one culture. This thinking is gone 16 years ago, thanks to Ato Meles Zenawi and his EPRDF! It is time to move forward. Ethiopia will not go back. The only chance CUD has to survive is to face the reality. Honesty, Ethiopians need change, they believe the current regime came short of its promises, to decentralised the power, enpower state (Kilils), free the press, and open up the countries economy. Ethiopians are looking to build up of what they got, not to go back 16 years. Being Ogaden, I am disappointed with this regime for coming short in every side of development and good governance.
Having said that, I will not exchange it with current CUD, because I will lose twice. CUD needs to make serious changes of its strategies and organizational make-ups. With its current image, it will not even come close to EPRDF.
Ha… Ha… Ha…
Jama @ #35…. You are the wolf from ‘Dedebit’ under the cover of Ogaden. I know your smell. You born of the dictators are reflecting the same nature.
This is how you guys are undermining the Ogadenees. The Ogadenees are proud of their relentless struggle for their rights, and their achievements so far. No Ogadenee considers their achievements as a generous gift of Meles/EPRDF; and they are not sitting and looking others to stretch their hands to do more favour to them.
I know well that this arrogance of yours and your group is not only towards the Ogadenees. It is towards all Ethiopian nations and nationalities. Awareness about unalienable human rights is rising throughout Ethiopia. You can not play this card any more.
What CUD and genuine democrats are advocating is that Ethiopians should come together to fight such arrogant and dictatorial thinking, until you recognize that unalienable human rights are equally endowed to all people by their creator not by this or that person or group. You need mind overhaul.
I have read all the above 36 comments made about the content of the article and some acusations levelled negatively against the blogger and/or the writer. I thought both of them did a good job in presenting to us ideas for discussion.
However, most of you commented in favor of CUD (and are clearly against ethnic politics) have only exposed your shortcomings in political dialogue. Some of you have said CUD shouldn’t go back and accommodate ethnic based political organisations mentioned in the article instead the latter should seek to join CUD!. Some even went further to insult these political organisations.
Now, it is my sincere hope that this is not a real reflection of who CUD is. If CUD leadership have anything that remotely resembles to the above comments, then I can assure you that they will fail flately. Why many of you are vilifying ethnic politics as if it is the sole cause of Ethiopian political problems. It is admittedly introduced by the current fascist ruthless Woyanne regime but then they have only been in power for 16 years and Ethiopian political malaise dates back well before them. Who are you to say that Mingistu Haile Mariam or Haile Sellasie or the ones before them were any better than the Woyanne?. What CUD would do if the ethnic based organisations simply refuse to join them?. Would CUD declare war against them as Meles has done?. I say go ahead and declare it. Has it ever crossed you mind that CUD should and in fact must kneel down and beg the ethnic orgasations to join them?. What is wrong with ethnic politics?. Both Woyanne’s ethnic politics and the preceding Mingistu’s amorphous socialist and Haile Sellasie’s emperial politics failed Ethiopia and if you care to know why? it is not because of the nominal political philosophy but because of the dishonest, tribal chauvinism and corrupt policies adopted and practised by the ruler of the day!. Each one of them had a golden opportunity to SERVE their country fairly not the other round by making them destitute sevants and beggers!. We ethiopians can be proud of ouselves and can be the envy of others if only our leaders are prepared to be SERVANTS (not masters) of the country.
Finally, I am more than prepared to give CUD leadership the benefit of doubt as they are an infant and yet to be tested organisation (though I can already see their first mistakes) so that they can proof what they worth for. What I am not prepared though is the emotionally charged blind hype surounding them and I refuse to look them up as saviours and messiahs until and unless they pass a real political test.