Under Abiy, Ethiopia's media have more freedom but challenges remain

During a trip to Addis Ababa in January, it was impossible to miss the signs that Ethiopian media are enjoying unprecedented freedom. A flurry of new publications were on the streets. At a public forum that CPJ attended, journalists spoke about positive reforms, but also openly criticized their lack of access to the government. At a press conference, journalists from state media and the Oromia Media Network, an outlet previously banned and accused of terrorism, sat side by side.

CPJ

Newspapers for rent, but who's buying in Ethiopia?

In Ethiopia, reliable information can be hard to come by. Confidence in the media is faltering and many people can't afford to buy a newspaper even if they wanted to. Mantegaftot Sileshi caught up with a newspaper renter in Addis Ababa.

DW

Did this guy just call Ethiopia a hungry nation?

Did this guy just call  Ethiopia a hungry nation? Hope not. 
s German humour. He is welcome to bring his sport expertise though. 😀

VOA

Ethiopia signs deals for its longest bridge project

The price agreed for the construction  is not high, for such bridge. It is a good deal, but  my question is when will the Ethiopian engineers start building bridges, dams, railways, etc. by themselves, without foreigners involvements. What do the foreigners have we do not have? As long as Ethiopia relies on foreign experts, the country will not industrialised or fully develop.

Construction Review Online

Ethiopians get excited when they see foreigners

Because Ethiopia has kept its independence,  foreigners are rare, and the young people  get excited when they see one. It is hilarious. 

The Sudanese people rejected aid money

Despite the economic hardship, they have been facing, the Sudanese people  rejected the aid money  the Gulf Arabs offered them by telling them 'please keep your money.'

The rejection will be a big shock for the Arabs because it tells them from now on Sudan will be independent from their influences and may not even be their ally.

 Read more from Aljazeera

The people of Mereb Melash or Medri Bahri should reject the new identity imposed on them

It is high time that the people of Mereb Melash or Medri Bahri reclaim their true identity and call themselves Ethiopians.

They should reject  their  Eritrean identity, instead of being proud it, because it  is an identity imposed on them by foreign colonists who made them slaves.

It is also  high time for Issay to change the name of the Ethiopian province he is ruling alone now to its former name Mereb Melash or  Midri Bahir and unite it with its motherland. 

Tribalism is being reversed

Instead of  resettling  them  elsewhere, the Ethiopian government has started  returning the  Gedeo people back to their villages, from where they were displaced. 

It is a great decision  because it will reduce the danger  the ethnic federalism has posed by  discouraging the Wayane dogs, like the OLF, from carrying out more ethnic cleansing in order to fulfil their dream of  establishing their own homogeneous tribal zones.

Of course the government needs to do more to ensure the safety of the returnees by bring the criminals who force them to leave to justice.

Follow here great discussion about this issue on ESAT:

Haile Gebrselassie hits back over Farah’s ‘disgraceful conduct’ at Ethiopia hotel

Read more from  The Guardian . By the way nice photo Haile.

Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed calls on Sudanese people to avoid division and work together towards one united Sudan.

“I truly believe it is a critical time to work together towards one united Sudan without any room for divisions among yourselves,” said PM Abiy today, in his message to the neighboring people of Sudan. “Extending the practice of inclusive dialogue with all other stakeholders will facilitate the path to a strengthened, united and democratic Sudan. Through continuous dialogue, differing ideas can be narrowed down towards one Sudan, one people, all working towards a common direction.

News Business Ethiopia

The Amhara nationalism

The Amhara nationalism  is getting stronger. I hate tribalism and racism, but as long as the TPLF exists, strengthening Amhara nationalism  is the only way the Amharas can protect themselves and their territory from expansionists and  racists. The answer for tribalism is tribalism. Once the TPLF, with its constitution, is dismantled Ethiopians can live peacefully again without racism. 

Ethiopian tribes did not have their own exclusive land before

Ethiopian tribes did not have their own exclusive land before. So, no single tribe has the right to claim a territory in Ethiopia exclusively for its own now.

The reason we have tribal zones in Ethiopia now is because racist Wayanes wanted to rule by implementing the strategy of their foreign masters of divide and rule, but Ethiopia, as an independent country, should not accept that. 

The Wayane-made tribal zones should be dismantled in the long run, and everyone should be made aware that these zones are only for administrations purposes now, like the former provinces, and are not exclusive domains of specific tribes.    Ethiopian tribes did not have their own exclusive land before. So, no single tribe has the right to claim a territory in Ethiopia exclusively for its own now.

 

Examples of what patriotic diaspora Ethiopians can do to help their country economically

Ethiopia economy is weak and now foreign reserve/ dollar in the bank is  very low.  Patriotic diaspora Ethiopians can  help their country, also save money for themselves  by buying Ethiopian made products.  How?
When you go on vacation in Ethiopia, for example, buy everything you need  for long time, from there in advance, and take it  back with you to your country of residence. It can be cloths, shoes,  socks, shirts etc.
Ethiopian tailors are great. You can send them also orders to make clothe for you, from the country you live. 
If you order products directly from Ethiopia it is usually cheaper and the money you save can cover the import tax and sending costs.

If you send money to your family, include also the extra money for  the products you want to buy, so that you only pay one time to transfer the money.

You can also order  with your friends large quantity of coffee, spices, etc. directly from Ethiopia and share it. That way you also save money. 

Medri Bahri's strained relations with Sudan

Medri Bahri's strained relations with Sudan and others  shows that the Provence  has no option other than  getting closer to its mother land Ethiopia.

The Citizen   Sudan Tribune