Monster Media 1993 #2/Image.iso/text/usenetaf.zip/NEWS0504.93

Internet Message Format | 1993-05-08 | 32KB

From uwvax!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!gallux.gallaudet.edu!gallua.gallaudet.edu!pcs_mbei Tue May  4 09:53:57 CDT 1993
Article: 14793 of soc.culture.african
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail]
Subject: CAMEROON: Increased Sensorship...
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
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Sender: [e-mail] (News manager)
Organization: Gallaudet University
Date: Sat, 1 May 1993 18:32:52 GMT

Since the fraudulent presidential elections of last October in Cameroon,
there is an increasing concern regarding Human Rights abuse by the Biya
government. In effect, information from Cameroon indicates that mails are
strictly sensored in Cameroon. Thus, more and more Cameroonians abroad
are expressing about their supposedly "lost" mail. This kind of sensorship
has been used by various Cameroon gov'ts, from Ahijo to Biya, to control
and weaken the opposition. The international opinion, mainly the in the
United States, seems less aware of the realities of Cameroon. There is
NO democracy yet in Cameroon, despite the Biya gov't propaganda. It is
time, therefore, that the international community actively acts in a way
to stop human rights abuse by the Biya gov't. Those who contribute to
maintaining Biya in power by their support, ESPECIALLY the French gov't
must understand that they are not acting in the interest of the Cameroon
people, and that their own "vital" interests will be put in jeoperdy in
a long run. Because there is NO more room for DICTATORS in Cameroon.
None can't oppose a people's will. None can't escape from the judgement
of history.

Also, chances are very little, that anything comes from the so called
"great Debate" that Biya is calling.

Poppi
=====


From uwvax!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!nic.umass.edu!risky.ecs.umass.edu!umaecs!amsalu Tue May  4 09:54:11 CDT 1993
Article: 14795 of soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: RE:ETHIOPIA & DEMOCRACY (was Ethiopia, Paris conference)
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 1 May 93 14:24:31 GMT
Lines: 103

Hi Everybody ;
This is a quick response to Zemen's reply to "Ethiopia & Democracy"
In his last posting Zemen asked me "why I should not join the legal opposition
in Ethiopia?"

 First of all in today's Ethiopia as in the past both concepts i.e. legality &
and opposition does not exist. I can cite tons of instances about the absence
of legality in Ethiopia. As for opposition, the TPLF alia EPRDF never accepted
there could be a genuine view that is different from them. Those who do not
agree with  their suppresive measures are anti peace, those who do not support
their ethnic politics are chauvenists & those who beleve in ethnic politics
and does not submit to them (like OLF) are ethnocenterists etc and should be
eradicated for "peace & stablity". EPRDF has to learn the differnce between
opposition and enemity before anything resembling democracy can be seen there.

As for the democracy that exists in Ethiopia, I believe Zemen and foreigners
are guilty of omission; the EPRDF never claimed to practice democracy but
REVOLUTINARY DEMOCRACY (see any EPRDF publication) The similarity between
REVOLUTIONARY DEMOCRACY and DEMOCRACY is like the similarity between an
ELECTRIC CHAIR & a CHAIR !!

If I talk about Ethiopia I will be accused of any of the above labels so I
will quote a foreigner, that is what the "neCH amlaku"("one white is his God")
wants. As  Poet Laurate Tsegaye Gebremedhin said in April's ER "like those old
bad days the white "experts" are coming back ,pushing aside the Ethiopian who
can not be reborn in the line of EPRDF".
Enjoy

Araya Amsalu

P.S: Zemen said I posted under the name Kijak to create the illusion we are many
First I always write my name (and selam l'Ethiopia) at the end of any posting
second it is clear the opposition outnumbers you (supporters) to any one who
follows soc.cult.africa so I do not see the need to blow our number.
*******
Headline: Democracy in Ethiopia at risk after crackdown

Byline: By Scott Peterson in Addis Ababa

     A crackdown on political dissent in Ethiopia is forcing some opposition
parties to work in exile and is increasing widespread, though low-level
discontnet over the slow pace of transition to a democratic government. Most
recently, the transitional government, led by the Ethiopian People's
Revolutionary Democratic Front, has replaced directors at Addis Ababa Universit
y with high-level party cadres. Though classes are open, many students are
boycotting them. In january, during a visit by Mr. Boutros Boutros Ghali,
United Nations Secretary-General, at least one student was shot dead - some
said 17 dead, when soldiers opened fire during a demonstration. The University
move is the latest sign of what observers see as an increasingly hard line by
the government, which promised national multi-party elections within two years
after ousting the dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in May, 1991. President Meles
Zenawi has indicated that it may take longer to "prepare tha country" for
democracy, and the transition is being plagued with problems. Nearly 500,000
soldiers must be demobilised and cared for, and Eritrea, the northernmost provi
nce, voted fro independence at the weekend, sealing the end of a 30-year guerri
lla war to secede from Ethiopia. Opposition parties point to electoral abuses a
nd mass arrests of their supporters during regional elections last June as exam
ples of what they say is a false commitment to democracy. About 20,000 supporte
rs of the OLF, the largest ethnic-based oppostion party, were released by the
ruling party from "re-orientation" camps last month. They had been held since t
he elections. "First this governmetn clamped down during the election, then the
y came down on the students. What is their next target?" asked a UN official.
Until recently, the government had been viewed with favour by the West, which
remembers atrocities during the Mengistu regime. "How long can Ethiopia push th
e right buttons, pull the levers and apply the window-dressing before we all re
alise that this clampdown is what they always intended to do?" said the officia
l. Many observers say ti is too soon to judge whether the government has irreve
rsibly taken the wrong path or has only temporarily swerved from the right one.
"We don't know if this is a change of approach or if they are showing their tru
 colours," said one diplomat. "The root of the problem is that they genuinely f
eel insecure and beleaguered by hostile forces - as if they were still fighting
 in the bush. It is hard for them to realise that now they are big and strong
enough and can afford to loosen up." The government allows about 80 newspapers
to be published, most of which brazenly criticise it. But some say marxist elem
ents within the party want them stifled. Decades ago, when political elements
that make up the ruling Front were born, dissent was put down with a knife to t
he throat. Those methods have not returned, but some in opposition do not feel
save in the capital. A conference in Paris organised by seven disenfranchised p
arties last month said: "It is very clear that Ethiopia is sliding dangerously
into the pit of civil strife and war." During more student demonstaration last
weekend, 18 were arrested for inciting unrest. Police said one was held because
he had documentsof the All Amhara People's Organisation, a still-legal oppostio
n party. Memeber were not granted exit visas to attend the meeting in Paris.
"It is much harder to justify these recent things,"said a diplomat. "That kind
of over-sensitivity is a change for the worse. The pity is that Ethiopia now
has no serious divergent voice inside the country." In the countryside, however
, the regime appears to be strong, especially because rains have brought record
 harvests and diminished reliance on foreign food aid. moves have alsom been
made to liberalise the economy. But Mr. Zenawi's views on democracy may not be
so liberal. He is said to have shown a recent guest a match-box. "This box is
democracy,"  he is alleged to a have said. "Whatever happens, you must maintain
that. What you put in the box is a different matter."

Source: The Daily Telegraph plc
Section: International

THE END FOR NOW
Araya
******************************************************************************
    SELAM L"ETHIOPIA !!
    "Ethiopia tabetsiha edewiha habe-Egziabher "
    "ETHIOPIA STERTCHES HER HANDS TO GOD"
******************************************************************************


From uwvax!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!noc.near.net!nic.umass.edu!risky.ecs.umass.edu!umaecs!amsalu Tue May  4 09:57:01 CDT 1993
Article: 14812 of soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: ETHIOPIA: UNIVERSITY UNDER ATTACK
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 2 May 93 20:41:14 GMT
Lines: 121

ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY UNDER ATTACK AGAIN

The Transitional Government/EPRDF,like its two dictatorial predecessors has
faced strong opposition from the students of higher learning in the country.
The TPLF that owes its inception to the very campus about two decades ago
has been brutal in its treatment of the AAU student protest. It seems the TPLF
is  scared some organized opposition will come out of the activities of the
AAU students & take the road it took. With the unpopularity of EPRDF & the
kerosene of 500,000 former soldiers the fire sparked at AAU will not take
17 years to engulf the whole of Ethiopia.

On January 4 1993, the students of the 3 campuses (Natural science,Engineering
& social &economic sciences) after delberating on the issue for two days took
the streets to hand the UN secretary General Boutros Ghali, a letter protesting
UN's envolvement in the Eritrean referendum.The Government has learned from its
informants the students are going to demonstrate & garrisoned its troops inside
the Ministry of Planning across the street from the main campus in Yekatit 12
square (popularly known as 6 kilo),the starting point of the march. As the
students filled out of the 1st gate orderly the TPLF troops in full gear
(including mounted machine guns) across the street did not attempt to stop them
As the last students were out of the campus the security forces(plain clothes)
who were inside rushed & locked the gate. Traffic was already further
up & down the street. The front end of the students has just finished the
square when TPLF soldiers closed in from every direction firing directly at
the students!! The students were trappped between the tall wall of their
campus and the firing soldiers. Some tried to climb the wall into the campus
to be brought down by gunfire. Many students fell wounded & dead. When the
carrniage was over the troops moved into the fallen students beating the wounded
and those helping the wounded. The Red Cross ambulances were not allowed to
take the wounded. The few teachers & staff who were in campus loaded the wounded
students to take them to the Yekatit12 hospital accross the street only to
be beaten and the wonded to be dragged to the ground at the hospital gates.
The soldiers moved into all three campuses and beaten every student they got
there, female & blind students not spared. As the result of this barbaric act
18 students died with hundreds wounded.

By committing this inhuman action EPRDF out-savaged Mengistu to this generation
of university students including me. The 1989 & 1990 student protests were
blunt & sometimes even violent ( the famous chant was "hang Mengistu" &
burning his pictures, in 1990 the WPE office in sidist kilo was broken into &
set fire by student demonstrators). The worst that occurred was when students
were beaten by sticks by the soldiers who blocked the exit !!
I believe now if faced with a resistance like EPRP's to dergue,the EPRDF will
definitely carryout something atleast as savage as the Red Terror(which it
is trying to buy populatity by exposing) .

The troops were garrisoned in the campuses while students continued the
protest by boycoting class.Meanwhile the teachers association passed a
resolution calling the act barbarous & demanding an inquiry by independent
investigators. The University administration (sworn in about a year ago)
also requested the removal of the troops from the campuses. The surprising
response by the EPRDF was to officilly close the AAU after firing the p
president& his two vps on January 17. The Alemaya University students
boycotted classes in sympathy for the AAU students leading to its closure.

After almost 3 months of closure the government announced classes will resume
in the first week of April. But before openning the campus was "cleansed"
of 42 professors & the 11 student council leadrs. Out of the 42 professors
fired on April 9, 24 are Ph.ds , among them, five of the eleven professors with
tenure- Asrat Woldeyes, Taye Mekuria, Ayenew Ejigu, Alemayehu Haile and the
former president of the University, Alemayehu Tefera(who is arrested in March)
 Asrat Woldeyes is the chairman of the All Amhara Peoples Organization(AAPO).
Among the other teachers dismissed is the onetime vice-prsident the University,
Meknonen Dilgassa, the former head of the Philosophy Department, Mesai Kebede,
erstwhile chairman of the Institute of Development Research, Mekonnen Bishaw
as well as former vice-minister for Education, Beyene Petros. The latter had
been sacked from his ministerial post and expelled from the Council of
Representatives (parliament) because he is a member of the Southern Ethiopia
Peoples Democratic Coalition (SEPDC) that the authorities sanctioned for having
initialed a document at a recent opposition conference held in Paris, France.

The students have continued their resistance to the undemocratic acts of the
EPRDF. When they found out what happened they boycotted their classes around
April 16. The students sent their demands to the Government,the demands
include:
 -the rescheduling of their crowded first semester exams;
 -the rescheduling of the start of the second semester to late May or early June
  instead of EPRDF's plan of late september.
 -the immediate reinstatement of all the professors and students dismissed on
  april9,93.
The Government reaction to this demand was the usual barbaric act of force
common to all tyrants; they surrounded the campuses seiging each campus
by denying exit to any student.

message  recieved on 23 April from Addis:

"The situation at Addis Ababa University doesn't look like it
will normalize soon. The police are apparently all over the campus.
A student was bitten by the police. The police then refused to allow an
ambulance to take him to the hospital. The government radio announced
yesterday that 18 students were detained. The students have now been
confined to the whichever campus they are in and are not allowed to
get to any other campus. Clearly the situation has worsened in
the past few days."

message  recieved on 28 April from Addis:
"There has been a massive assault on the sidist kilo & arat kilo campuses
 by TPLF soldiers yesterday(April 27).Hundreds of students are beaten and
taken to prisons in unknown location. The 7 AAU teachers association executive
committee members are arrested from their homes."

The ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY students are crying for help!! Let their voices
be heard by the world.Let the world know "the democratic"Eprdf!

This acts are more barbarous than Tinamen Square, but
the US endorsement of EPRDF is keeping it out of the media. One such instance
was reported by Ethiopis Newspaper in January after the January masscre.
"one foreigner was seen talking to the international journalists present in
Addis to cover the Somali negotiations,trying to downplay the incident. The
foreigner is none other than Mr Mark Bass, US ambassador to Ethiopia"

The AAU martyrs has joined millions before them, who sacrificed their life
to keep Ethiopia free from foreign aggressors & gain democratic rights from
domestic tyrants !!
Let Jutice prevail in Ethiopia !!

Araya Amsalu
*****************************************************************************
 SELAM L"ETHIOPIA"!!
 ETHIOPIA SHALL LIVE FOREVER !!
***************************************************************************


From uwvax!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!network.ucsd.edu!pacbell.com!amdahl!amdcad!sun!exodus.Eng.Sun.COM!crunch!jsd Tue May  4 09:57:18 CDT 1993
Article: 14814 of soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail] (Jules Damji)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: OSMANE SEMBENE
Keywords: film
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 2 May 93 20:37:31 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems Inc., Mountain View, CA
Lines: 37
NNTP-Posting-Host: crunch


Senegal's Ousmane Sembene (and England's Alan Clarke), two of the
internationally known militant, angry and self-critical filmakers,
will be awarded the Akira Kurosawa Award for lifetime directorial
achievment at the 36th San Francisco International Film Festival.

Mr. Sembene will personally attend the festival to receive the
award and premiere his most recent work, "Guelwaar". Known as
the father of African cinema, his works invariably underpin and
tragically appeal fellow Africans to break out from the "cultural
yoke of colonialism", through characters roles in the "Black Girl"
(1966), a feature film released internationally which brought Mr.
Sembene his international fame.

His other poignant works include "Borom Sarret", "Ceddo", "Xala",
all in their subtle ways, with humour, irony, and satire, attack
the hypocrisy of Senegal's business and political elite. By far
the most universally appealing movie that underscores the
factional fighting around the African continent (and to certain
extent around the world) is "Guelwaar". Though it addresses several
issues, his main point is that "neo-colonialism continues to seperate
Africans, piting them against each other through religion, politics
and corruption."

Sembene has also received much international recognition as an
author of numerous novels, the two most famous are "The Black Docker"
(1956) and "God's Bit of Wood", both available throuh the African
Writers Series.

The San Francisco International Film Festival kicks off today
at the Kabuki Cinemas with his movie "Xala". For those San Francisco
bay area African movie fans check the S.F Cronicle, your favourite
cafe-bookstore or call Kabuki for the entire schedule, including the
Award Ceremony, at [phone].


Jules Damji


From uwvax!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!pipex!sunic!news.lth.se!e92ks Tue May  4 09:58:05 CDT 1993
Article: 14820 of soc.culture.african
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail] (Kwame-Anders Sakwanda)
Subject: Zambian soccer team - who remains?
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail]
Organization: Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden
Date: Mon, 3 May 1993 10:44:10 GMT
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>From various sources, I have have found out who is still alive. I am not 100%
certain, so any info is appreciated...

Kalusha Bwalya  (PSV)
Johnson Bwalya  (FC Bulle)
Charles Musonda (Anderlecht)
Ashios Melu
Efford Chabala
Eston Mulenga

I don't know who the coach was, but it was not "Zoom" Ndlovu.


-Kwame


From uwvax!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!olivea!decwrl!decwrl!access.usask.ca!edison.usask.ca!f54oguocha Tue May  4 09:59:05 CDT 1993
Article: 14826 of soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: AFRICAN SOCCER: WC'94 ALL WEEKEND RESULTS
Date: 3 MAY 93 16:05:03 GMT
Organization: University of Saskatchewan
Lines: 41
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: edison.usask.ca


Description: WC'94 QUALIFYING AFRICAN ZONE


Africa Group A
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

    Cote d'Ivoire   2-1   Nigeria

                P W D L  F  A Pts  Maxpts
Cote d'Ivoire   2 1 1 0  3  2  3     7
Algeria         1 0 1 0  1  1  1     7
Nigeria         1 0 0 1  1  2  0     6


Africa Group B
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

    Senegal - Zambia   (postponed)


Africa Group C
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

    Guinea   3-0   Zimbabwe

                P W D L  F  A Pts  Maxpts
Cameroon        1 1 0 0  3  1  2     8
Guinea          2 1 0 1  4  3  2     6
Zimbabwe        1 0 0 1  0  3  0     6

Cheers!

Oguocha


Source:
Harinderpal Singh Grewal             [e-mail]
National Computer Board, Singapore   [e-mail]




From uwvax!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!gatech!destroyer!cs.ubc.ca!pacific.cs.ubc.ca!not-for-mail Tue May  4 09:59:13 CDT 1993
Article: 14827 of soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail] (Scott Hazelhurst)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: "Africa facing deeper gloom"
Date: 3 May 1993 09:31:49 -0700
Organization: Computer Science, University of B.C., Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Lines: 51
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: pacific.cs.ubc.ca

Taken from Guardian Weekly, April 25 1993

AFRICA FACING DEEPER GLOOM

By Alex Brummer

Economic growth among developing countries is expected to
improve markedly in the 1990s the World Bank asserts this
week  in its 1993 Global Economic Prospects Report.

But the pattern on improvement will be uneven. Conditions
in sub-Saharan Africa could worsen dramatically, while the
Chinese economic zone experiences an unprecedented boom,
eventually making it as prosperous as the richest industrial
nations.  Latin America will also continue to make a
rapid comeback.

Overall growth, across the range of developing countries,
is forecast to climb to an average of 4.7% per year in thhe
1990s, as against 2.7% in the last decades, far better
growth than expected in the industrialised nations.

The World Bank attributes the improvement to "wide-ranging
and often painful economic reforms" in the developing
countries, notably in the management of public finances,
privatisation and debt reduction. But the World Bank warns
of a number of risks, including the failure to complete the
the Uruguay round of Gatt trade talks.

Despite the optimism of the Global Prospects report, the
section on sub-Saharan Africa makes depressing reading.
Growth is expected to rise over the decade from 2% to 3.7%,
but the population increase means that per capita income will
be under severe strain.

If conditions are not to worsen, the World Bank believes
three problems need to be addressed -- environmental degradation
which makes the region prey to drought; the Aids epidemic
which could be deleterious for growth with up to 30% of the
labour affected in Malawi and high levels in Uganda and
other countries; and the drying-up of high levels of
international aid, available to Africa over the last decade
but now in demand for other regions, notably the former
Soviet Union.

The numbers of poor in Africa could increase from 200 million
in 1990 to 300 million by the year 2000...[contrasting
to projected growth in Chinese economic area..]





From uwvax!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!alakew Tue May  4 10:01:10 CDT 1993
Article: 14841 of soc.culture.african
Path: uwvax!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!alakew
From: [e-mail] (Abiye Lakew)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: UNITED NATIONS
Date: 3 May 1993 22:38:59 GMT
Organization: The Ohio State University
Lines: 54
Message-ID: <1s46u4$[e-mail]>
NNTP-Posting-Host: magnusug.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu


In my opinion the conflict between Ethiopia and Eritrea started the day the UN
decided on a fedration.

I have very simple questions that you Great Africans can answer for me and for
those who would ask similar question.

1.  Why did the "intelligent" statesmen, diplomats, and politicans of the world
oversee the fact that the fedration of a Democratic entitie and an Absolute
Monarcy was a time bomb?

2.  Why didn't Eritrea become incorperated into Ethiopia as a 14th province
if the UN enquiry indicated that Eritreans overwhelmingly chose union?

3.  Why didn't the  UN approve the independance of Eritrea if as we witnessed
on April 28, 99.8% felt that they were Non-Ethiopians?

4.  Why didn't the UN protest when Eritrea was annexed?

5.  If it hadn't been for this original big miscalculation where would the
People of the Horn be, today?

6.  Is this a deliberate plot or is this just one human error? If it is human
error why are our self appointed leaders trusting this clumsy giant to carry
our precious inreplacable child?

7.  Why is John Spencer the American advisor to Emperor Haile Selliasse
still invited to speak at many Ethiopian conferences?

8.  Who is ultimatly guilty the UN, the Emperor, or the private(tera wotader)
mengistu?

9.  Which organization is roaming the Developing Countries preaching the
message of peace, self-determination and democracy?  Who is the 'symbol of
brotherhood, liberty and justice' that dominates this clumsy giant?

10.  How significant are Zemen, Somar, even the 'warlords' of Somalia ....
in face of this great Hurricane called "Zeus"?

11.  Why did the shameful conference after 30 years of war got held in London,
Britian 'the original screw up'?

12.  What was wrong with holding this would be historic conference in one of
the beautiful cities of Africa?  (apatizing flavors incluse Abijan, Nairobi,
Harare, Cairo,.....)

13.  Why does the 'intelligent' and 'civilized' world think the answer to the
above questions is 'Why ask Why try Bud Dry"?


Zemen, I think you asked the same questions maybe you can answer them now.

Peace
Abiye Lakew


From uwvax!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!saimiri.primate.wisc.edu!caen!nic.umass.edu!risky.ecs.umass.edu!umaecs!amsalu Tue May  4 10:02:23 CDT 1993
Article: 14849 of soc.culture.african
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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: RE: ETHIOPIA: offer solutions
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 3 May 93 23:14:05 GMT
Lines: 71


 Hello/Selam everyone:
  Few days ago Ato Belay Kalayu, asked us to offer solutions to Ethiopia.
 Thank you for asking such a good question amongst the emotional
 exchanges about Ethiopia occuring lately in this net.I wish EPRDF had the
 wisdom to ask the same question sincerly.

  The multitude of problems in Ethiopia are so overwhelming noone could have
 the ready-made quick fix solutions. No Belay most of us are not looking for
 the resumption of the old ways. Do not mistake us, we are criticizing the
 EPRDF not for our love of Mengistu's or the Emperor's tyranny. As sons &
 daughters of the Ethiopian masses we opposed both of them .Rather we are
 critcizing EPRDF not for living upto our expectation for justice and democracy.
 We are bitter from the shattered hopes of a "better Ethiopia-after-Mengistu".
 The replacement of one tyrant,from Jima,(who used slogan of unity and
 Socialism) by another tyrant from Adwa (slogan of self_determination & free
 market) does not make the sitaution better. Millions of Ethiopian youth did
 not die & suffer to trade one form of injustice by another,or exchange soldier
 dictators to guerilla dictators. Like Mr Clinton said "we can do better!"
 We oppose EPRDF for the same reasons we opposed the Monarchy & the Junta,
 injustice,represssion of democratic & human rights. As the amharic saying
 goes "gulcha beqeyer wet ayetaftem". Ethiopians can not be decieved by empty
 beautiful words & meaningless gestures, that decieves only tourists,we say
 "touist bela!!"

  I believe we can reach at a reasonable solution through meaningful dialogue
 of the resourceful Ethiopian people. So calls like Belay's made sincerly are
 the first steps in the thousand miles journey to solution(justice &democracy).

  One of the preludes to solution is self-evaluation of individuals &
 organizations. Are we open to the ideas of others? Are we willing to go along
 better ideas put forward by others? Are we acting rationally & for the long
 run benefit of our people?I believe answering the above questions YES is the
 minima for meaningful dialogue.

  As in any problem, the first & most important step is identifying the
 problem & defining it clearly. "A problem well defined is half solved".
 We are at this stage. All the previous postings are pointing manifestations
 of the major problem: the absence of democracy & the rule of law in Ethiopia.
 Without pointing the problem it will be "yalbelanen makek". We were doing this
 because people like Zemen are telling us "Ethiopia is democratic & the
 opposition is freely operating legally" denying blatantly all the wrongs of
 EPRDF or justifing them by blaming the victims.EPRDF media(including Zemen,
 who supports TPLF with the vigour unique to late converts) discredits left &
 right the "opposition" and accuses each one of them of something. After
 banning EPRP/COEDF accusing it of waging war, arresting & blackmailing UDN
 leaders,shooting at peacful AAU student demonstrators and harassing AAPO for
 ungrounded lies like waging war etc President Meles shades crocodile tears
 for the abscence of any meaningful opposition in the country[washington Post,
 Feb18,1993]. Since then the EPRDF has expelled the SEPC(Southern Ethiopia
 Peoples Coalation) from the Transition Government for participating in a
 meeting (which EPRDF was invited too) that called for peace & reconcilation
 in Paris.

   How can we suggest solution for a problem without accepting its existence?
 "yalbelanen makek ayhonem?" So we shall first admit the problem exists &
 then we shall try to define it. For me the problem is clearly defined in the
 words of Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, [in his speech at the Ethiopian
 Studies Conference,in March 1991] "the absence of the rule of law,supression
 of democratic & human rights".

 Do we agree on that? I shall present my opinion as, an Ethiopian, to what
 I believe will lead us towards a peacful solution in the political arena to
 begin the uphill of the economic challenge; the fight aginst hunger,diseases
 & backwardness.

 Araya Amsalu
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 SELAM L'ETHIOPIA !!
 ETHIOPIA SHALL RISE AGAIN!!
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