Saturday, October 13, 2007
Be Earnest and Repent
Be earnest and repent!!
By Hidase Winner
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hide.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" (NIV Bible, Genesis 3: 8-11)
I new some people who were once good political figures in organizing public discussion at least for the university community right after the fall of the Derg regime. Among others Dr. Taye is the first to be mentioned. As a new and energetic professor in the university, early 1990, he was the most loved and respected instructor at AAU. He did a good job organizing an open dialogue regarding the past, current and future Ethiopian politics. He also sacrified his time and energy leading Ethiopia Teacher Association in the right direction. He fought with the merciless party, EPRDF. He did a lot… However, his current contribution in destabilizing CUD is discrediting what he positively contributed in the past.
Ato Hailu Shawel, where are you? Why are you hiding yourself from your supporters? Have you eaten from the “tree”? Ato Hailu said, “The person that I put with me gave me some “fruit” from the tree, and I ate it, so I hide"
Dr. Taye, what is this you have done?" Dr Taye said, "Shaleka deceived me, and I ate. “
As the Good Lord says to his people, “those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent” (NIV Bible Revelation 4:19), I also urge you to give ear to your people. Those who loved you because you scarified a lot and elected to be a leader, are commenting and challenging you as a process of learning. Be advised, repent your mistake and join the mass.
By Hidase Winner
“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hide.” And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?" (NIV Bible, Genesis 3: 8-11)
I new some people who were once good political figures in organizing public discussion at least for the university community right after the fall of the Derg regime. Among others Dr. Taye is the first to be mentioned. As a new and energetic professor in the university, early 1990, he was the most loved and respected instructor at AAU. He did a good job organizing an open dialogue regarding the past, current and future Ethiopian politics. He also sacrified his time and energy leading Ethiopia Teacher Association in the right direction. He fought with the merciless party, EPRDF. He did a lot… However, his current contribution in destabilizing CUD is discrediting what he positively contributed in the past.
Ato Hailu Shawel, where are you? Why are you hiding yourself from your supporters? Have you eaten from the “tree”? Ato Hailu said, “The person that I put with me gave me some “fruit” from the tree, and I ate it, so I hide"
Dr. Taye, what is this you have done?" Dr Taye said, "Shaleka deceived me, and I ate. “
As the Good Lord says to his people, “those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent” (NIV Bible Revelation 4:19), I also urge you to give ear to your people. Those who loved you because you scarified a lot and elected to be a leader, are commenting and challenging you as a process of learning. Be advised, repent your mistake and join the mass.
Thursday, October 04, 2007
HR2003: Make Your VOICES Heard in the Media
H.R.2003: Make your Voices Heard in the Media!
The magnificient and unanimous passage of H.R. 2003 in the House of Representatives received a HUGE media splash! The BBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, and others reported on the great success of Ethiopians, Ethiopian-Americans, and all American friends of Ethiopia (See an excerpt of the many articles here: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/ethiopia/hr2003.html ).
We heard from the media, now it’s time that the media (and through them, the world) heard from us! The international media did a great job bringing attention to the big Yes vote on H.R.2003. As is the norm, they quoted both proponents of the bill (Payne, Smith, and others) as well as opponents of the bill (Ambassador Samuel Assefa). The ambassador’s main talking point, which he regurgitates at every opportunity, is that the bill hurts Ethiopian-American relations, and that it fosters instability. Unfortunately, ill-informed Americans could easily buy it. So it is important to write to the papers to refute that! Let them know that:
1) The relationship between the United States and America is more than the relationship between Bush and Meles. Rulers come and go; the Ethiopian people are here to stay! Remaining silent when Meles brutalises Ethiopians is not the way to win Ethiopian hearts and minds – Condemning his brutality, as HR2003 does, will increase prospects of long-term and sustained strong relations between the two countries.
2) What breeds instability is to coddle an authoritarian government. Moderate critics of the regime will see US failure to stand by the side of the people as a signal that the only way to remove a tyrant is through violent means, which can’t be what the US wants! What breeds instability is when EPRDF, with the tacit consent of the US and the international community, starves Ethiopians in the Ogaden in order to root out a rebel group. Armed groups will then get sympathy, support, and recruitment. H.R.2003 seeks to encourage a democratic space in which Ethiopians can hold their government accountable through means other than the barrel of the gun.
Choose any one newspaper that published an article on the bill (and that published the ambassador’s reactions), and Write the Newspaper a letter Now. Each newspaper outlet has
- Many, Many should Write: If the papers get flooded by letters-to-the-editor, they will be sure to publish one or two of them!
- Keep it Short: 200 words or less. That will increase the chance of publication
- Write ASAP: News becomes old fast in the media world. The sooner you write, the greater the chance you’ll see your letter in the paper.
- Stay polite: Our problem is not with the paper, but with the ambassador’s illogic. Refute his talking points in a factual, straightforward manner.
- It doesn’t have to be a piece of art! Don’t be too worried whether each word is perfect. The most important thing is that the newspapers hear from as many as possible, then they will know that this topic is a big deal, and will feel more compelled to publish one of the letters flooding their inbox.
For more ideas how to write a highly effective letter and increase your chances of getting published, see the Media Toolkit at http://eacamoveon.org/communicate.php .
Use the following links or information to send a letter to the editor to one of the following outlets:
Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
Financial Times: Email letters.editor@ft.com
BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ukfs/hi/newsid_3990000/newsid_3993900/3993909.stm
New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html
International Herald Tribune:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/29/opinion/web.letterguide.php
Voice of America: http://www.voanews.com/english/contactVOA.cfm
AllAfrica: http://allafrica.com/feedback/general.html?ref=http://allafrica.com/publishers.html
Reuters: http://reuters-en.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/reuters_en.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php?p_sid=iB5vEnNi&p_lva=&p_li=&p_accessibility=&p_redirect=&p_page=1&p_cv=&p_cats=&p_hidden_prods=&p_new_search=1&p_prod_lvl1=&p_pv=2.47&p_prods=19%2C47&prod_lvl1=19&prod_lvl2=47&p_masthead=us
The magnificient and unanimous passage of H.R. 2003 in the House of Representatives received a HUGE media splash! The BBC, New York Times, Washington Post, Financial Times, and others reported on the great success of Ethiopians, Ethiopian-Americans, and all American friends of Ethiopia (See an excerpt of the many articles here: http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/ethiopia/hr2003.html ).
We heard from the media, now it’s time that the media (and through them, the world) heard from us! The international media did a great job bringing attention to the big Yes vote on H.R.2003. As is the norm, they quoted both proponents of the bill (Payne, Smith, and others) as well as opponents of the bill (Ambassador Samuel Assefa). The ambassador’s main talking point, which he regurgitates at every opportunity, is that the bill hurts Ethiopian-American relations, and that it fosters instability. Unfortunately, ill-informed Americans could easily buy it. So it is important to write to the papers to refute that! Let them know that:
1) The relationship between the United States and America is more than the relationship between Bush and Meles. Rulers come and go; the Ethiopian people are here to stay! Remaining silent when Meles brutalises Ethiopians is not the way to win Ethiopian hearts and minds – Condemning his brutality, as HR2003 does, will increase prospects of long-term and sustained strong relations between the two countries.
2) What breeds instability is to coddle an authoritarian government. Moderate critics of the regime will see US failure to stand by the side of the people as a signal that the only way to remove a tyrant is through violent means, which can’t be what the US wants! What breeds instability is when EPRDF, with the tacit consent of the US and the international community, starves Ethiopians in the Ogaden in order to root out a rebel group. Armed groups will then get sympathy, support, and recruitment. H.R.2003 seeks to encourage a democratic space in which Ethiopians can hold their government accountable through means other than the barrel of the gun.
Choose any one newspaper that published an article on the bill (and that published the ambassador’s reactions), and Write the Newspaper a letter Now. Each newspaper outlet has
- Many, Many should Write: If the papers get flooded by letters-to-the-editor, they will be sure to publish one or two of them!
- Keep it Short: 200 words or less. That will increase the chance of publication
- Write ASAP: News becomes old fast in the media world. The sooner you write, the greater the chance you’ll see your letter in the paper.
- Stay polite: Our problem is not with the paper, but with the ambassador’s illogic. Refute his talking points in a factual, straightforward manner.
- It doesn’t have to be a piece of art! Don’t be too worried whether each word is perfect. The most important thing is that the newspapers hear from as many as possible, then they will know that this topic is a big deal, and will feel more compelled to publish one of the letters flooding their inbox.
For more ideas how to write a highly effective letter and increase your chances of getting published, see the Media Toolkit at http://eacamoveon.org/communicate.php .
Use the following links or information to send a letter to the editor to one of the following outlets:
Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/edit/letters/letterform.htm
Financial Times: Email letters.editor@ft.com
BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newswatch/ukfs/hi/newsid_3990000/newsid_3993900/3993909.stm
New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/ref/membercenter/help/lettertoeditor.html
International Herald Tribune:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/29/opinion/web.letterguide.php
Voice of America: http://www.voanews.com/english/contactVOA.cfm
AllAfrica: http://allafrica.com/feedback/general.html?ref=http://allafrica.com/publishers.html
Reuters: http://reuters-en.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/reuters_en.cfg/php/enduser/ask.php?p_sid=iB5vEnNi&p_lva=&p_li=&p_accessibility=&p_redirect=&p_page=1&p_cv=&p_cats=&p_hidden_prods=&p_new_search=1&p_prod_lvl1=&p_pv=2.47&p_prods=19%2C47&prod_lvl1=19&prod_lvl2=47&p_masthead=us
