In defence of Ethiopia - Part one

I read last time an Article on the Web Site, to be more specific www.allAfrican.com and some Other Sites from an Editor in Abuja, Nigeria, with Title " Ethiopia an Embarrassment 
for Africa", Ironically from a person a Nigerian Editor who are making the Titles of the world for practicing an Irresponsible Journalism which led to death of more than two hundred people.

It doesn't matter what kind of experience this Editor made with Ethiopia or Ethiopians in Particular, but it is clearly to understand from the article that the writer hasn't even made the Effort to look at the background and the deep-rooted problems in which the Country or our Continent is to be found.

I don't have any kind of Sympathy to the current leaders of Ethiopia  but I don't even see any particular reason to put the Misery, yes it is a Misery which the Editor also knows as long as he/She is an African, on the
current leaders. There are even some Facts to appreciate like the  early Warning System which is installed by the current Administration.

Dear Editor,

It is trivial to understand the Fact what kind of desertification our continent, particularly Ethiopia is experiencing. In addition the country has got a huge amount of Population that exceeds the capacity of the
country to feed its own population, a problem shared by every country in Africa.

I am ready and would like to discuss short comings based upon Facts but not prejudice. Ethiopia is not an Embarrassment for Africa rather this wonderful country is a pride of Africa. A country which has fought 
for her own freedom and that of the whole Continent.

Dear Editor,

Neglecting these Facts which are obvious you tried to put the country as if it is on the verge of collapse.
Let us talk about your country, If I was going to sing after your melody, there are a lot of Facts on which your country is to be blamed fro the negative Image and Embarrassment that our Continent is being elided 
to since the very early second of "Independence" Nigeria is has never been able not only to manage the petrodollar which is being taped day and night from the Garden of the poor slam dwellers, but also if there is any
revenue from the black gold then it doesn't reach the appropriate people which deserve it, the slam dwellers I could also mention more facts on which your country is to blame for the Embarrassment of Africa. Therefore it is the rigt time that we Africans start to make up our own minds than grasping it from BBC, CNN ....
It doesn't help any of us if we just try to put our fingers into the wound of the other; the result is hell pain for all of us.

Finally to those Ethiopians who take part in the deformation and aggravating the bad Image of Ethiopia in the hope that Meles would run away, think please more widely about your motherland. Meles's Era will terminate sooner or later but Ethiopia remains and time will come on  which you are going to fetch the bad Image which you helped actively in 
drawing it.

Gawna 
From Berlin, Germany

In defence of Ethiopia - Part two

On my previous Article I tried to defend the Dilemma and Status quo on which my country is to be found. When calling to defend Ethiopia, I don't mean that we have to follow our "Leaders" blind. We have to look and control each and every step they make; put our CONSTRUCTIVE Critic where necessary. 

I put more emphasis on the word Constructive to reject critics based upon prejudice, narrow minded Ethnicity , and the most important one critics based upon the old fashioned Idea of Great Ethiopia from MOYALE to DAHLAK. Ethiopia of today is big and great enough to deal with for us.

First let us solve the current problems and construct our war destroyed Country. If we master those problems and put the economic situation of the country in a better position than today, then nothing will withhold the people on the Eritrean side to think and realise over the possibility of coming together for the sake of common future. But we have to realise that things like Unification are "future Songs". 

Let us first deal with the current situation and come to the reality. Currently the country is facing a huge Drought or a huge Drought is hovering on our people. We have to reach to our people who are in urgent need of Emergency food. Further on let us think about the possibility of averting such a drought or the conditions that lead to in previous. In this aspect more is expected from the leaders of Ethiopia, rather than to battle each other and thinking of power consolidation. 

We all Ethiopians whether at home or in the Diaspora have also got the responsibility to contribute on behalf of our own. The real problem usually is the large expectation we Ethiopians put on the government. We have to take part in the nation building process actively. We can then see the difference between doing something realistic and criticizing indefinitely without showing the alternative way. We should only expect from the government that the frame work on which every citizen can take part, should be free. 

Dear fellow Ethiopians all over the world, we must be ready to accept constructive critics and advises from people who made things better, but we do not need a blind teacher to show us the way, like the Nigerian Editor who dared to write an Article entitled " Ethiopia an Embarrassment for Africa". Otherwise we as Ethiopians have to start to understand that the problems and obstacles of our country are to be solved only by Ethiopians.

The ousting of one government or government leaders doesn't bring a solution to the country. Had it been the case, Ethiopia has had an economic boom of more than three times or so. According my own observation what we have to do is whether we like it or not, to accept the current constitutions as a common base and to try to bring a change within the frame work of it. Try to gain the majority of the society for your idea if it is better one. It is not going to be simple, but where has it been simple to bring a change. Thus we need a broad based coalition and understanding among our people to bring a real change.

Gawna from Berlin Germany

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