April 7, 2008
Ethiopian blogosphere doesn't explode
There was a time when over-excited journalists wrote over-excited articles about Ethiopia's exploding blogging scene.
That time seems to have passed.
I just did a spring clean of MeskelSquare's Ethiopian blogrolls (in the right-hand column), and spent most of my time pruning away dead websites. From the ones that are left inside Ethiopia, only a handful have been updated in the last month. Even Ethio-Zagol has gone quiet.
Here is the ever-growing list of Ethiopian websites that seem to be dead or dying, all of them sorely missed:
4kilo, Addis Gay's Cafe, ADDIS TIBEB, The Ameche Rant, Carpe Diem Ethiopia, CoffeeChilliSun, deli[log]ue, Elicit Beauty, ET Blogs & Diaries, Ethio-Zagol Post Diaries, Ethiopia Adoption Blog, Ethiopia Encyclopedia, Ethiopiques Blog, Everyday life in Addis – as seen by a keen observer, Filweha Pundit, For Bikes Sake, Journaling Ethiopia, Kirkos, Liben's Events List, Lost In Ethiopia, Nani Inc, One Ethiopia, Photoblog Ethiopia: According To Alemayehu, Redeem Ethiopia, Satisfy my soul [ego], Save Addis Ababa University, Seattle teens opinion on Ethiopia, Shadows of My Smiles Echoes of My Laughs And Skeletons of My Tears, Weblog Ethiopia, Weichegud! ET Politics, Zegabi
So what is going on? Has the great Ethiopian blog blockage worked? Is there just less to write about these days? Is there a whole world of websites out there that I just haven't seen?
Posted by aheavens at April 7, 2008 2:39 PM
Comments
Yes, you are right the Ethiopian blogs have been very… quiet. Not only the tplf government censorship that silenced the blogs, but also the split between the position groups. I believe, this created confusion and frustration in all opposition’s supporters. Also, Ethiopians are not sure which (opposition) side to support, we are kind of wait and see mood. I am hoping that some time in the future there will be excitement and the bologs will flourish again
Posted by: Baheilu at April 8, 2008 3:33 AM
Hi there Andrew,
I like your blog. It looks neat and.. somewhat.. played down. And could actually be accessed from Addis :-). That's where I'm blogging "My e-Shoe box" from, by the way. Not abroad. Thought you might like to correct that.
Best wishes
Posted by: abesheet at April 8, 2008 6:43 AM
Sorry abesheet. You are now in the Ethiopian column. Are there any others I've got wrong/missed?
Posted by: Andrew at April 8, 2008 8:54 AM
Most of the bloggs, specially those with political attitude have selected and banned from reaching in the Country...what is the use blogging ethiopian blogg if the concerned Ethiopian couldnt read them? In order to be read in Ethiopia they need to be linked on www.aigaforum.com
Posted by: Fitfitu at April 8, 2008 7:44 PM
In this amharic weblog: www.metatif.org you will find some blogs that are active. Some of them write in English while others write mainly in amharic.
Posted by: Neja at April 9, 2008 1:18 AM
Oh Well,
I guess the government's control might be having an impact. The websites that are mostly active seem to be the ones that are not very political. There is one that I found a few months ago that I thought was interesting. It is kind of an educational website for diaspora parents and kids.
http://beteseb.com/about.htm
Posted by: Mamitu at April 10, 2008 6:18 PM
Hi Andrew,
Photoblog Ethiopia: According To Alemayehu is no EthioGrapher - Alemayehu's Ethiopia. It's available @: http://www.ethiographer.com
Thanks.
Posted by: Alex at April 22, 2008 12:52 PM
and it's also hard keeping up with writing. is it done for pleasure? for money? to effect change? to build an audience?
it's a serious commitment, and sometimes it's best to harbor writings off-line. what's the pay-off if we spend a lot of time commenting, and less time just relaxing, enjoying life off the net, where there's possibility even for more resistance? maybe writers are choosing to be more deliberative in their approach. just a theory...
Posted by: Yonathan at May 1, 2008 10:13 AM