Your comment might include my post as well. There are some accomplishments that honor Professor Mesfin. Society might have a tendency to view its heroes and idols to remain the way they were perceived, but that does not necessarily mean that, when that is not the case, we zip up. It is tough love to comment on people like Professor Mesfin if one views him as an exemplary citizen, leader and teacher. In my view, his best accomplishment is being founder of Ethiopian Human Right Council Organization. He had done some research on hunger etc that is also good.

I kept up with his interviews and speeches and some of the articles he wrote. He is best when he nails down what Woyannes are and the way he guards Ethiopia.

As far as internal politics, consistently, he had sent a message that generalize AEUP, pre Derg era mentality, and certain segment of society just by its very title of its members is bad. He gets provocative to the point that it works against him and thus the party he is trying to promote as its member. He is a controversial person and as a member of the committee under Derg that made a critical decision on the lives of so many with out trial can be recalled if he keeps saying every person with a title of the feudal era is oppressive and bad. He had said it during his interviews, as a lead speaker on the establishment of Andenet party, his speech in Boston etc. Why not just go with the new and convince people what is taking off in this present time, like Andenet.

He will be touring some more states, not only such comment will be redundant, but it will give him away too much and also breed some hostility instead of embracing the new party.

We are not going to forgive a brutal regime like Woyane, and leave them to continue their harrassing and brutally rule there must come a change by any means. The peaple is paying a high cost to secure his dignity, right , and rule of law.

This is not the first time that we are paying sacrifices and we will continue to do so. If not this regime will never give power in peace. They will go forth on weakening the country economically and politically. This is the objective of Woyanne.

God will save Ethiopia from being a desperate and disintegrated country.

why is it that every time somebody says somthing that's slightly out of line, we must react so violently and we ready ourselves to easily outcast such a decorated and experienced individuals. we must learn the art of discussion; the professor may or may not be wrong. he may have some good reasons why he's saying what he's saying. why dont' we give such a person the benefit of the doubt and let him explain himself? instead of being ready to outcast every member of the opposition? If we don't adopt such a culture of discussion, who are we gonna be left with to trust? should we start doubting ER for publishing such divisive commentaries on literally every member of the opposition? ERE TEWU

I hope you will post this comment. I was in a big rush when I did my last post. This is lengthy comment, but Proffesor Mesfin will be doing more tour/speeches. He is political, but not viewed as a politician. As far as Geography as his field of expertise, his in put could be called for on the case of Ethiopia vs Woyanne, Ethiopia’s land to Sudan.

To promote and guard his party is one thing but to justify its existence at the cost of its former allies is not called for from him. Some of his comments over a period of time since his release had been irritating

-In regard to his speech relating to UDJP, his comment, “ ANDENET, THE ONE THAT REPLACED Kinijit” was not only irritatingly false, but also spoke how much Professor Mesfin might have played in what some people called, “the coup of the splinter” against what still continues to be Kinijit.

- It dismissed the 800 delegates who recently met in Addis as Kinijit representing an average of 4000 to 5000 Ethiopians from different Kilils and Zones.

- It dismissed thousands of Kinijt members out side of Ethiopia.

- He is also aware that Kinijit as it exists had taken Ethiopian Election Board to court to continue using the name and symbol.

-A a rising “politician” like W/t Birtukan Medekssa dismissed the existence of the original Kinijit after her vice presidency to the same was threatened, and declared, “Ethiopians know the real Kinijit” after several confusing attempt to be Kinijt’s president, and the splinter took an official name as Andenet.

- Ethiopians are watching how UDJP came into existence. Followers and supporters of this party might share similar values, but IT DID NOT REPLACE KINIJIT.. When some one like Proff. Mesfin says it, I wonder if he really believes that or segments of his speeches at times get contradictory exposing a different side of him.

- The emergence of UDJP emerged out of Kinijit ( although most of its members might still be the former short lived Kestedemena). ANDENET DID NOT REPLACE KINIJIT. Ginot 7 movement leader Dr. Birhanu put it as it is, “we evolved out of Kinijit”/ ‘ Ke Kinijit wustte niw ye wettanew.

-Another truth is, if there was a power struggle between current Kinijit president Engineer Hailu and Dr.Birhanu as Proff. Mesfin stated, the more obvious was, W/t Birtukan in power struggle to be president of Kinijt or in a short cut rush to replace Kinijit President Hailu Shawel.

-??? It is better that UDJP go forward in its own and the country’s affairs than be provocative in Kinijit vs UDJP in their speeches.

-He concluded his speech recalling a discussion on armed struggle with Ethiopians in the diaspora long time ago. If money left over from self care and /or indulgence ( as he put it) supports peaceful struggle like his own party Andenet and others, why not to armed struggle if one chooses to?. I think he over simplified “armed struggle” to the extent that he made a mockery of such choice. One of his concern on the subject was, “where do you get the people?.. you need willing people to fight”. True, but armed struggle should not be undermined (it already exists and the “soldiers/patriots” formed a front to resist and defend brutality, direct oppression on them selves and their families (including kidnapped wives, rape etc). It is more complex that it needs good research and debate from experts, eye witnesses and those Ethiopians who joined EPPF based on legitimate reasons for defense. Some of its members like Ato Mellkay Mengiste ( according to an interview to him in 2007), five members of his immediate family members were killed by Woyanne. What can you say to people like him who choose armed struggle?. Some Ethiopians including myself hesitate because the front operates out of Eritrea. The fact of the matter is that Woyanne itself came to power through armed struggle.

God bless Ethiopia.

I am neither a politician nor a son of one. However, I appreciate those who can maintain their "integrity" as a politician. I have never met Prof. Mesfin but admired his controversial speeches and statements through the years. One of such was when EPRDF controlled the country in 1991, his plea was for peace and reconciliation. He recommended that a consortium of "shimagueles" (elders)representing every ethnic group in Ethiopia should form a provisional or transitional government. In the meantime the process of making peace was to start with the motto "yiqer le-Egzer" (forgive the person and let God deal with it). To me, a sincere Christian, this is a fascinating principle that I have advocated. Knowing the atheistic Marxist philosophy which the professor had espoused and propagated during the Dirgue reign, I could not take him at his word then. I thought it might have been for political expediency. But, I know it works for I have used that biblical principle in my work as as strategist for peace, justicce and reconciliation in southern Africa. The rest is history.

I personally respect the professor for who he is what he worth. He is a man of great intellect but may be lacking when it comes to moral integrity as we all may. Whatever he said should not be taken out of the context and blown out of proportion. I believe I have heard his speech in its entirety. Most of you have analized or synthesized it in as much as you understood. I may be biased by his former stances. What I understood from the speech is what the principle of peaceful struggle may require; i.e., that you must accept the person and work from where he stands in his thoughts. If you undermine the person, there is no room for any negotiation becuase you threaten his very existence. I do not think he is a messenger of the ruling party, sent to woo the Diaspora as some have suggested. He has passed that age. If he is, he will be making a big mistake and that defeats the purpose. Mind you, this is a man who singlehandedly (probably with others, as well) stood for human rights and abuses in the eve of transition in 1991. We should respect him for that, to say the least.

The other point, I beg to express is our conempt and disrespect for differences, seniority and intellegentia. Democratic virtues are all extract from the biblical priciples of justice, equality, freedom and unity. Diversity and unity are inseperable dichotomies. We cannot have true unity at the expense of diversity. In real world they should complement each other. Otherwise, there is no growth. Everything will be static or chaotic. Now in the process of building democracy in Ethiopia, there is bound to be made mistakes. Polititians, including Prof. Mesfins, Ato Meleses, Ato Eliases, etc., are human being that are liable to make mistake as well. The most important thing is to avoid making mistakes while working for the good of the people. But, if we do make mistake, it is "jegen-net" to admit our mistake publicly and apologize, correct and forgo. This is a good nugget that we lack our political and cultural menu.

The other thing is that all leaders are visionary. They may not see what their counterparts see. Ato Mesfin and Ato Meles see different pictures of Ethiopia and Ethiopians. They should be given a forum to discuss their differences and let democracy take its course. They do not need to kill each other. We should not allow that to happen becuase we need both, with their extreme views. It is up to the people to choose or not to choose. But God reigns with justice eternally.

Finally, it is my prayer that, as the professor said we should not let Ethiopia be a failed state taken over by ethnic or religious warlords. In this cosmomanic (I just coined the word for "global extremism")world this can easily happen if we refuse to respect and accept each other. Let reason, rather than mere emotion, reign our thoughts and actions.

God bless Ethiopia and Africa.

I have few points to riase:

. Can't you advance your philosophy of political change while loyally opposing/negating the professor's idea?

. Going to the extent of ridiculing the professor with a phrase "… it is clear that he has no clue about politics…" shows how desperate you are.

. As the professor illuminates the facts on the ground, the hollowness of your bla bla would be exposed. That is why you are throwing every thing you can on him.

. The funny thing is your desperate attempt to divorce him from politics by repeatedly telling us about his field of specialization.

. If politics is run by political science students, I think Dr Taye Woldesemayat should take the driver's sit. I know you are fierce enemy of him.

. Does your argument make exception to you (who is a journalist) or Dr Berhanu Nega (economist)?

. Please give the professor at least one tenth of the respect you have for President Esayas.

Shame on you Elias.

In my humble opinion, he had left a very important speech to Ethiopians any where. As much as I was puzzled about what he could have done to mend the Kinijit conflict and that I have a few points that I do not agree with him, he should not be harshly criticized on this speech.

-As a five years old boy who witnesses to the cruelty of Grazianne, he compared Woyanne as equally bad.
-As a champion for human right causes, peaceful struggle and a legitimate democratic computation, the way he interjected, “Woyanne is not an enemy” is in that sense. True, it did sound contradictory from what he defined Woyanne to be.
- In many ways and in several of his recollection of recent and distant past, it is very clear that he denounces what they do, but does not label them an “ENEMY”. A figure of speech or a “Scientific attitude’?. The next journalist who interviews him might have at ask him for clarity.
-Peaceful struggle had proved a result, though painfully, but armed struggle can not be ruled out for those who choose to follow that path. It is as much their right to struggle that way as would be for those who choose peaceful ways.

We all agreed with the idea that The Ethiopian people and friends people should work together to place Democracy and Freedom to our people. The problem comes how? Professor Mesfin (may be his party also) has chosen a way to give the current regime time and space to strategically change the minds of the gangs to think.

He pointed out two things:
1. They are killers and they know that if they leave their power peacefully, they will go to prison because of the crime they committed
2. They have money which is accumulated illegally. They can not use this money anywhere.

The strategy he followed is let's give them a chance that they can be pardoned for ill deed they did if they peacefully and democratically transfer their power to the public.

When we hate them (The simplest thing in the world that every body can do it)they will become more fierce and terrorized. When a powerful person is terroized and full of fear he lose his mind… He do what makes him stay in power. This will worsen the sacrification of our people.

He, prof, is most worried about the smooth transition of power in Ethiopia. We should patiently think about the strategy very well. If you want to attck your enemy very easily, make him your friend.

We can defeat woyanaetplf if we think differently and stepping out of the old thinking and see the whole situation in such a way that we can achieve measurable results.

How about this: woyanaetplf is our political enemy? can we direct our attention to this specific senario or idea and build another idea so that we can arrive at a situation where we can gain success over our politica enemy?

Woyanaetoplf is an illegal organization ammasing a large amount of wealth and plays a game in the poliitics it thinks it can't lose or thinks its opponents can't defeat it. That is how woyanaetplf thinks, we guess; but, when there is politics, there is violence; as far as the politics of woyanaetoplf is concerned,it is a bad politics that they are in and playing init. So, can't we change our way thinking and chalange the regime by thinking strategically; well, as long as we want measurable result leading us to victory over the woyanae regime, we must accept constructive ideas, openion, and defferent approach to different thinking henace, alligning our vision while doing things differenttly.