Ethiopian Shimagiles vs. False Hope

By Tedla Asfaw

I followed Professor Yeshake(Isaac) more than one and half hour interview in Ethiopian Television Network from USA with the host Tamagene and I salute the host and the guest for their Ethiopian polite discussion between families and they made us all proud.

There is an Ethiopian saying which says "Yeteme Fitchew Duketen Amechew" and I heard this quoted by member of the elderly council on the interview the council members gave month ago. The released elected leaders should be thanked for accepting the role of Shimagelis rather than the many vistis tried by USA and Western officials because they believe from their heart that Westerners care less about our country beyond their own self interest.

I remember the long time King Haileselasse advisor the late John Spencer once said Ethiopia has no Western friends and the many battles among kings for the power in our history was a result of UK, French and Italian desire to colonize us keep us busy fighting by supplying guns and diplomatic support for different self proclaimed kings.
\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>When the Western ambassadors went to Kaliti try to secure the release of elected leaders almost two years ago they did not get any cooperation and practically the same goal was achieved through our elders and this is what you call it Ethiopian pride for which the elected leaders paid two years and this is not "stupid" like the Badme war ten yeas ago . \n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>The elderly council surely helped to take the pressure from the Ethiopian regime and found a win win solution and by doing so the HR2003 bill is derailed so be it and I never believed that USA or UK administration changed their view towards our country through more than 100 years of relationship with them. \n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Ethiopians are considered as stubborn and sometimes "racist" who look down on white people and should be punished accordingly and our miseries of not having a democratic institutions and political parties put us in vulnerable position and were forced to beg for Western help keeping our pride inside. \n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Our continuous protest and lobbying in Western cities in the last sixteen years has not worked and hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians/Eritreans lives lost in Badme war between Ethiopia and Eritrea dubbed as stupid war by the West and an arbitration by foreigners did not bring any solution and still the two countries are facing each other possibly for another devastating war. \n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>At present war in Ogaden and in the Oromo region is taking lot of lives and I hope our traditional way of solving problems should click here and bring many of our respected Somali, Oromo fathers and mothers to join hands and bring the Ethiopian regime to a negotiation table or "Shimigelena". \n\u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\> \u003c/div\>\n\u003cdiv\>Foreign engineered arbitration the one in Algiers ten years ago to bring peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea or be it HR2003 or whatever you call it has little to do in solving our problems and if there had been magic bills it should have been tested in an Iraq crisis unfolding in our own eye currently. \n",1]
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When the Western ambassadors went to Kaliti try to secure the release of elected leaders almost two years ago they did not get any cooperation and practically the same goal was achieved through our elders and this is what you call it Ethiopian pride for which the elected leaders paid two years and this is not "stupid" like the Badme war ten yeas ago .

The elderly council surely helped to take the pressure from the Ethiopian regime and found a win win solution and by doing so the HR2003 bill is derailed so be it and I never believed that USA or UK administration changed their view towards our country through more than 100 years of relationship with them.

Ethiopians are considered as stubborn and sometimes "racist" who look down on white people and should be punished accordingly and our miseries of not having a democratic institutions and political parties put us in vulnerable position and were forced to beg for Western help keeping our pride inside.

Our continuous protest and lobbying in Western cities in the last sixteen years has not worked and hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians/Eritreans lives lost in Badme war between Ethiopia and Eritrea dubbed as stupid war by the West and an arbitration by foreigners did not bring any solution and still the two countries are facing each other possibly for another devastating war.

At present war in Ogaden and in the Oromo region is taking lot of lives and I hope our traditional way of solving problems should click here and bring many of our respected Somali, Oromo fathers and mothers to join hands and bring the Ethiopian regime to a negotiation table or "Shimigelena".

Foreign engineered arbitration the one in Algiers ten years ago to bring peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea or be it HR2003 or whatever you call it has little to do in solving our problems and if there had been magic bills it should have been tested in an Iraq crisis unfolding in our own eye currently.
Professor Alemayhu's effort should be commended for educating the US policy makers to understand on what is going on in Ethiopia with tax payers money and however I support our elderly roles to bring some hope to our country and this is not Professor Yeshake Vs Professor Alemayheu but Pride Vs False Hope.

Professor Alemayhu's effort should be commended for educating the US policy makers to understand on what is going on in Ethiopia with tax payers money and however I support our elderly roles to bring some hope to our country and this is not Professor Yeshake Vs Professor Alemayheu but Pride Vs False Hope.

Haile Gebreselassie makes Ethiopian day in New York

Tedla Asfaw

This is not ordinary August in New York City weather wise it is unusually cool dramatic fall from days of heat and humidity. The race as you heard it was between Haile and Abdi and the Last year Boston Marathon winner from Kenya.

An Ethiopian runner who came out one of the top ten told me as we went home by train that most of the race 8 miles was run in the Central Park tough hills and once out of Central Park the Kenyan and Abdi a Somali born US citizen want to take over of the race and Haile step up to the challenge.

As you heard from Haile he was surprised by the pace and he has no choice but to take full control of it in Time Square and Haile was energized by those tall buildings and took his race to the West Highway.

The concrete of West Highway is another punishing race for all athletes and finally we received Haile in the Battery Park finishing line and what a crowd. Ethiopians not only from New York and the surroundings but also from Washington joined us with plenty of flags to wrap ourselves.

Haile has finished his race with new record 59:24 minutes and the singing continues. "Amora Seyeshe Wale Ye Haileye Neshe Eyale", Ethiopians stood tall and high in this day in New York City not only because of Haile but also three Ethiopian men got the top three place finish and our two women also finish the top ten.

The chase for Haile now started and about hundreds Ethiopians surrounded his resting hotel and waiting the coming of Haile and we told his security that we can not go without Haile. The singing continued while Haile was changing and preparing for the ceremony.

Once we spotted Haile protected by guards we went nuts and the chanting was deafening and we followed him for a walk better call it chase to the ceremony site and this is unbelievable chasing Haile in the Battery Park City and we all were emotional.

Other spectators and runners were attracted by our excitement and celebration and we made this year New York City Half-Marathon memorable not only for setting new record but wonderful celebration with beautiful flag and beautiful people.

Who do not want to be an Ethiopian today in New York City and how many parents are ready to name their new born "Geb" for Haile Gebreselasse. This is indeed a celebration which brought together friends we have not seen for long and meet fellow athletes in New York City who make us very proud .

The young Ethiopian female athletes who came few years ago from Ethiopia who did not run this year told me these are times which make all of us happy and went on saying that she wishes our politicians learn from our athletes to set a goal and work hard to achieve it.

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Gebrselassie Wins NYC Half Marathon
By RICK FREEMAN
NEW YORK - Haile Gebrselassie already showed he can make it anywhere; he can add New York to his list. Running in the Big Apple for the first time, the 34-year-old Ethiopian won the New York City Half Marathon in 59 minutes, 24 seconds Sunday _ the second-fastest time in the United States and his eighth win in eight half marathons.
"I was dreaming just to run in New York City. The dream has come true this morning," said Gebrselassie, probably the world's greatest distance runner. "Wow, I'm so happy!"
Abdi Abdirahman of the United States was second, more than a minute behind. Two-time Boston Marathon champion Robert Cheruiyot of Kenya was third in the second running of the race.
Hilda Kibet of Kenya won the women's race in 1:10:32, outsprinting defending champion Catherine Ndereba by 1.15 seconds. Nina Rillstone of New Zealand, a surprise leader until the final quarter-mile when the two Kenyans passed her, was 2.60 back in third.
Gebrselassie, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, emerged from Central Park after the 7-mile mark, along with Cheruiyot Abdirahman. Gebrselassie and Abdirahman dropped Cheruiyot when the Kenyan went for water, and before the American knew it, he was in Gebrselassie's wake, too.
"I thought I was going to recover my surge and then just maintain the pace but it wasn't that way," Abdirahman said. "I didn't give up, no way. We know Haile's the greatest, but at the same time, this is sports."
Gebrselassie didn't see it quite the same way.
"Right after the park, I just said 'OK, this is my race,'" he said.
All that was left was a Sunday morning jog. He took a moment to gawk at Times Square, like any tourist would, as he breezed through, then he trotted down the West Side of Manhattan to Battery Park, occasionally looking back to see if anyone was gaining on him.
Of course, no one was, even though Abdirahman's time of 1:00:29 was a personal best. Cheruiyot was taken to a hospital as a precaution after he finished in 1:00:58. In October, the Kenyan slipped while crossing the finish line of the Chicago Marathon and spent two days in the hospital with a concussion.
The women's race wasn't decided until Kibet turned it on at the finish. The Kenyan, who said she will probably compete for the Netherlands in the 2008 Olympics, discovered her finishing kick this year in a race when she had to beat her sister over the final 100 meters or so.
"You know when it comes to sprinting, when you're just a few meters from someone, then you feel very strong," Kibet said. "You're just fighting to win."
Ndereba was confused by marshals pointing to different routes at the finish for men and women, and didn't see a sign indicating how close the runners were until 200 meters remained. It wasn't enough to catch Kibet, who also beat Ndereba by more than 30 seconds in a 10-kilometer race in July.
"I didn't know who to go with," Ndereba said. "I'm not disappointed. I never get disappointed for this kind of thing. ... I count it as something to work on."
The temperature was a comfortable 70 degrees after a week of oppressive heat and humidity, helping Gebrselassie set the course record.
Gebrselassie, who holds world records in the 10K and 20K, won gold in the 10,000 meters in Atlanta in 1996 and Sydney in 2000. His time Sunday (a half-marathon is slightly more than 21 kilometers) was second-best in the U.S. only to his own 58:55 in Tempe, Ariz., last year. It was the 16th-fastest half marathon.
In the days before the race, Gebrselassie soaked up the bustle of the city. On Sunday morning, he ran through mostly deserted streets.
"Yesterday, I was in Times Square. I was there," he said. "It was very busy. Today, nobody. Amazing."
Does this mean he'll run the New York City Marathon?
"Not this year," Gebrselassie said. "I'm thinking 2008 or 2009. I'm thinking I'll run the New York Marathon before I stop running, surely."
A service of the Associated Press(AP)

Oromo's Rally in Minnesota

Tedla Asfaw

I read a wonderful article by Mr. Obang on his recent addressing of the Oromo Youths in Minnesota posted on ethiomedia. The thousands strong Oromos from North America attended this rally and we can say surely that all were Oromos and few foreign supporters of the Oromo's cause.

The mostly young people were waving the Oromo flags with the placards denouncing the TPLF/Ethiopian regime and calling for the abuse on the Oromos to stop. I was expecting at least the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy(AFD) in Ethiopia to be represented and address the crowd.

The young Oromos would not like to be associated with Ethiopia and its flag and there was no Ethiopian flag and I am pretty sure that there was an American flag to show their respect to the country who gave them the right to protest.

I have no problem of the missing Ethiopian flag in the crowd and I believe this was not like a demonstration where every slogan is written by organizers and everyone is asked to follow the rules. If those who organized the rally call the rally only for Oromos they would not have any way to tell who is an Oromo, Somali or Ethiopian and it seems they succeed because we did not see any Ethiopian or other flags on the rally.

Had I been in Minnesota I would carry an Ethiopian flag andl march with my fellow Oromo Brothers and sisters because like Obang we have to tell our brothers that hate and disunity will not lead us to the promised land where we all live as people by the rule of law.

Sadly the Diaspora so called opposition leaders are not to be found to add to the united struggle and seem like the "Zemene Mesafint Power Struggle" in the 18th century is underway in North America and Europe.

Mr. Obang and some few others are putting our hope alive to take us to the coming "Huleteshe Amete" an occasion which surely will be ignored by our brothers and sisters in Minnesota like the Ethiopian flag.

KIC should follow the example of KIL

The news that Kinijit International ( KIL) has dissolved itself after the release of the elected leaders is one of the good things that we are hearing in this month of July and we should commend KIL for excellent job they did while the leadership was non functional in the last two years. The fight with other faction claiming legitimacy is now over and I believe the recent formed Kinijit International Council (KIC) should follow the step of KIL and dissolve itself and we have not yet heard,forget about the Kaliti letter any legitimizing of KIC by the elected leaders and it will be unwise to do so because many who were behind KIL for the last two years will be disappointed by such move,

Kinijit leadership should evaluate all the works done in the last two years all the good and the bad one and that should start by controlling all the offices in Kinijit's name in the Diaspora for that to happen KIC should follow KIL and dissolve itself.

The attempt by KIC to call meetings with the elected leaders of Kinijit is dead wrong and that is divisive and all the paltalks who are trying to reflect the past position of KIL and KIC are not helping us to heal the past wound and move forward.

We should not forget the thousands of Ethiopians in the Diaspora who were calling for the release of the elected leaders and other political prisoners and we know many are not members of Kinijit and our struggle is to bring all political groups to function in Ethiopia without intimidation and harassment by TPLF an not to start our own exile movement separated from our people.

The politics of "Asayewalew" has to stop and let's be humble and polite like our people and get their trust by our deeds.