Congrats Andrew!

It is an unfortunate fact that a lot of Ethiopians tend to be less chewa (well-mannered) when it comes to political discussions.

Gooch and Tazabi just happen to be young citizens of Wonq's fara-free haven (weichegud.blogspot.com) where commenters are passionate but chewa even when it comes to politics. There is hope in our next generation.

That shows how interesting your blog is and keep it up! I also liked Gooch and Tazabi's very careful and decent discussion on an otherwise very turbulent issue. This is what we need. Discussing sensitive issues in a decent and understanding way - and looking for a solution - So we can see ethiopia's problems are not heterogeneity - ethiopia's problems are leadership problems - people who are not ready for decent discussion and reconciliation!
Heterogeneity is like a flower with different colours -it is beauty ! But it can also be abused especially by the people who have the rifle and the media -in our case- the radio!

I loved the discussion between gooch and tazabi, and I absolutely love the holding hands discussion.

Andrew-maybe you can bring the holding hands post out from archives as it still contains recent comments. How fascinating!

Safiya

andrew and others,

for decent if passionate discussions between ethiopians (largely young) also check out http://www.esai.org

stands for Ethiopian Students Association International

oops! your colleague Anthony Mitchell has just been expelled. who is next? ha!

you better watch your back!!!

I also enjoyed both discussions... it is amazing how small our difference are when we respect and listen to each other. Have you noticed after three or so postings Gooch & Tazabi start agreeing on 3 of the 4 points.

I liked this alot...
Tazabi: " 4. One more point on "anti-Amhara sentiment ". I don't think the “sentiments” are solely targeted at the general Amhara people or individuals nor were they only created because previous “leaders spoke Amharic “..."

Goosh: "On your point 4, just substitute Tigrean for Amhara, and decide whether you agree with what you wrote or not, if that helps. The poor farmer in Shire who thought Dergue=Amhara=monster was not 'directing..."

Tazabi: " Coming to the 4th point, I think there was no "Dergue=Amhara=monster " there was only the "Dergue=monster " situation..."

So, I tried the substitute and read... it worked. Conclusion... there are no "Dergue=Amhara=monster" and "EPRDF=Tigre=monster" there are only "Dergue=monster" as Tazabi said and "EPRDF=monster" as Gooch would say.

Psssst...Andrew...I suggest covering mundane topics for the next few days, considering what happened to AP's Anthony Mitchell. Maybe a follow-up to how President Girma Wolde-Giorgis and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi expressed deep sorrow over the death of Kuwait's Emir...Surely, there are matter of mutual interest and cooperation between the two nations left unexplored?

Now that they have efficiently done away with the domestic press, it looks like they are turning their attentions to you guys. Anthony Mitchell, is the first victim……are you not worried they will come after you also?

Keep doing what you are doing for as long as you can. You are a hero in our eyes.

Sincerely,

Y. Gondemo

Hi ANdrew,

1-Please, keep up the good job!

2-Please, keep in mind that Ethiopians can make:
- a hero out of you when you speak their language
- a hell out of you when you speak your language.

Cheers!

DsgNews

There you go - they told Mitchell to leave in 24 hours. Why don't they charge him with treason and genocide? They have no shame - have they?
what did they say? -- 'He is tarnishing the image of the country?' --My Goodness alu yekazanchis agote! This 'colonial viceroy writes like a colonial viceroy'!

Meles has clearly become a Mugabe or Mugabe was infact a Meles. But we knew that before ! Bush doesnot seem to care and Tony is struggling to swallow!

Dictators united ! United we kill and torture !

Andrew, I have a few question. Have you ever had a second thought of what you have been able to post? Has there been a situation where you hold back on a post thinking that it will offend the ruling clique? In other words I am wondering if you get intemidated by TPLF/EPRDF.

Keep up the good job otherwise. Wishing you all the strengths and strong commitment for truth.

Andrew:

Sorry to hear Anthony got expelled. If anyone ever doubted that Meles still has some sense left in him, this is the latest blow. Meles is a typical ignorant 3rd world dictator with better English. He is doing with what Bokassa and Idi Amin did. We laughed when the West labelled him as 'new generation' because we knew where this guy came from.

At any rate, Andrew, you may be the next to be ordered to leave. I think you should consider it as a badge of honor. Only Xinhua will be left. Communists representing ex-communists!

Moges

Andrew,
Congrats on reaching the 1003 mark. Your blogs are interesting despite all the insulting commentarys. I am really curious if there is a difference in attitude amongs the Ethiopians in Ethiopia and the ones online?

Hi Andrew,

May the force be with you! (From where I sit, you are one unto yourself.)
Thanks for the link to Holding Hands. Just posted a "some of my best friends are gay, love, tolerance, etc." comment there. Joke: On the other hand, you could be creating gayness in Ethiopia as a tool of Beelzebub, or somebody. The comments are the icing on your tasty postings, unless of course, you suddenly specialize in trifle. ;-)

The perfect method of creating a media black out..any true journalist has no place in Ethiopia any more.. Andrew do not worry you keep playing safe ....just drop some critical analysis and turn a blind eye to the reality.... murder torture and terror..Hay...playing the safe jounralism means not reporting any mess about the goverment.

Hey Andy,

Good job bro! Doing really well. I like the post on /23/06.

Hey Andrew-
Well, I finally made it to Addis and I have to say that your blog helped to put a lot of things in perspective. Any chance you could meet up for coffee this week or next? Just e-mail me and let me know.
-Katie

Thanks Andrew! I gave up reading your comments page a long time ago because of all the prejudiced views that used to be posted there but, apparently, it seems i was wrong to do so. Thank you again and keep up the good work!

Hey Andrew,

I am sorry about Anthony Mitchell. I hope he will be allowed back. It's puzzling, though. He isn't as aggressive, in finding the truth, as AP and you claim, IMO. He just writes about what goes around in Addis as far as I am concerned; and even that, not all of it. I have yet to read an investigative story by him regarding what is happening in other parts of the country. Even The Observer did a better job. They tried going to Dedesa and when that did not work, they interviewed Diplomats and people who had been detained there.

Anywayz, what goes around comes around, so be careful...especially if they are kicking out journalists for writing "not everything", I don't think anybody is safe. How about you try doing some real digging, Andrew - they could kick you out anyway? :)

I enjoy your blog, btw.

Good day.