Keneneisa Ambessa, Sileshi Neber

Tedla Asfaw

Let Teddy Afro's "Kenenisa Ambessa" be on Ethiopian's air back home and here in the Diaspora. Sunday's night in Beijing brought the world an African domination from one to seven all Africans in 10,000mt, Kenenisa with a new Olympic record.

Kenenisa/Kenu and Sileshi come out one and two followed by two kenyans and our father/Haile following in distance as expected.

Here we go let the flag fly high in Beijing and more to come in 1500, 3000 and marathon and let us all sing Kenneisa Ambessa what a Sunday.

                                      Kenenisa Ambessa

                                       Sileshi Neber

                                       Haile Abatachene

                           Ye Ethiopia Ligoche Yebarkacheue !!!

                                

Is Arsi for sale too?

Tedla Asfaw

After the victory of Tirunesh Dibaba in 10,000 meter  in a new Olympics record in Beijing Friday night(August 15) exactly eight days from the opening of the Olympics the world is again reminded of the Athletics glory of Ethiopians in long distances that started with Abebe Bikila in the 1960s.

Most of the dominant runners in the last twenty years, however,come from Arsi and the world is now focusing why Arsi has produced star athletes like Haile, Derartu, Fatuma, Kinenesa and Tirunesh and many on the pipe line. Its high altitude and famous in producing wheat and Ethiopian Teff which is full of iron are considered as the main factor for Ethiopian domination

Here in USA many cereals are fortified with iron and we have not seen long distance runners like Ethiopian and Kenyan caliber. Kenyan main staple is corn and the "Teff" factor can easily be ruled out in the short term, however, we should still be open for future research if Ethiopia's teff is still a factor.

Sadly this teff which is the staple of millions of Ethiopians is now beyond the rich of Ethiopians and is in fact  exported here in USA and in Middle east and Europe in alarming rate by merchants who are connected with the regime  for foreign currency. There is also large tracts of land leased for foreigners for their own crop production and the case of Saudi Arabia is one  among many.

A regime that confiscated food producing lands from farmers to produce flower for cash, that export "teff" while our country is begging international community to save lives of millions starving Ethiopians, that out right sale large areas of arable land for Sudan for money can do whatever it wants and nothing is impossible including Arsi the birth place of our heroes.

Free from Isaias

Tedla Asfaw

I followed the discussion Addisvoice (AV) editor Ato Abebe Gelaw, Addisdimts host Ato Abebe Belew, Ethiopian Review Editor (ER) Ato Elias Kifle and  EMF editor Ato Kiflu had last Saturday on Addis Dimts Radio and I agreed with AV editor  analysis that rejects Isaias' role in playing as a "uniter of Ethiopia" claimed by Ato Elias Kifle.

The moment I saw the OLF leadership crisis posted on ER (July 31) I posted on Addis Voice Blog and other sites calling for an independent OLF from Isaias and Elias asked me to pull the piece because it is a wrong analysis.

I argued with him to post it on his site  for the public to debate and he informed me that this is not an issue for debate and I do really understand now from the discussion on addisdimts.com (August 10) which is posted on addisvoice.com which I recommend for all to listen that Ato Elias Kifle indeed believes that Ethiopians freedom is only to come through Isaias of Eritrea.

I do believe like the three of you in the discussion that tyranny in Asmara is not capable to bring stable and united Ethiopia claimed by Elias Kifle

                                                                                                                  

                                                                                                               

OLF free from Isaias is good for Ethiopia !!!

Tedla Asfaw

Who does not want an independent Oromo organization? The answer is simple Meles Zenawi and Isaias Afeworki. After the fall of Derg they both courted OLF to do their dirty job in the name of Oromo people and start a Rwanda type massacre and failed to materialize because ordinary Oromos do not have an enemy called Amhara.

The honeymoon between OLF and Meles lasted only two years and OLF refused to be a toy for TPLF. Oromos and OLF have paid a heavy price for that and none other than TPLF's prison are a proof for that. Young and elderly Oromos are now languishing in jail accused of OLF members and symphathtizers.

Eritrea's strong leader Isaias who has ambition to be the ruler of Horn of Africa also have great capital on OLF and Oromo people and could not bridge the gap between OLF and TPLF before himself went to war with TPLF in 1998. Since then he is hosting many exiled Oromos and giving support for OLF like currently is doing for Somalis' ICU.

Meles is now accusing OLF as a tool of Isaias his archenemy and condemn any one associated with it to be jailed. We remember the dichotomy of "Isat/fire" and 'Weha/water" Isaias was accused, mixing and sending Oromos and those Meles characterize as the enemy of Oromos to destabilize Ethiopia on his parliament speech.

The OLF current crisis within the leadership has to be seen from the strategic interest of Isaias and Melse. The number one loser is Isaias because his desire to control OLF at close range has backfired. The letter out from Asmara on July 31, 2008 looks like someone who is not familiar with  Oromo names. The names of some of the accused like "Leeco " will give us some clue who is behind this division of OLF at the leadership level. This is just repeating what Isaias did few months ago on the exiled leadership of Somalis' ICU dividing the movement and chasing those he did not like.

Another loser is of course Meles Zenawi because OLF freed itself from Isaias and can join hands with other Ethiopian oppositions and wage the struggle for free Ethiopia where one man/woman has one vote and no one is persecuted for coming from any ethnic group.

Both Isaias and Meles are not  friends of Ethiopia and Ethiopians and their strategic goal is to divide Oromo and Amhara and rule their different kingdom forever. Ethiopian oppositions should capitalize on the current new development within OLF and support the force within OLF that freed itself from Isaias and form a united front to challenge the conspiracy of Meles and Isaias who are accountable for foreign powers, West and Arabs.