What now should be clear to us all!

Dear editor,

I came across with you rather unique and fascinating magazine for the first time by a sheer coincides. I would like to extend my appreciation to the professional work accomplished by the team of writers on your magazine. Having said so, I would like to comment on your cover page story (What now?, April 2012). While you are undoubtedly right on highlighting the true side of the government in Eritrea, you recklessly mentioned containing the evils that President Esaias Afeworki is unleashing upon the entire region “doesn’t necessarily make Ethiopia the Good Samaritan trying to rescue Eritrea from the tyranny of Isaisas Afeworki.”

For one thing Ethiopia is not acting like the Good Samaritan as you claimed trying to rescue Eritrea from its authoritarian President; it is acting to protect its citizens and the country. There is no justifiable diplomacy that binds Ethiopia to sit tight while the government in Eritrea continued killing foreign tourists on Ethiopia’s soil, abducting Ethiopians and aiding any rebel group whose aim is to destabilize Ethiopia. Ethiopia should resort into any means possible to facilitate the downfall of the government in Eritrea. That is what should happen now.

A concerned Ethiopian

Addis Ababa

The toll of moral underdevelopment

Dear Editor,

Allow me to extend my extended my humble appreciation to your entire team in general and top Dr. Taye Negussie, Society and Economy, whose article on the cost of moral underdevelopment (The toll ‘moral underdevelopment’, March 2012) touched me deeply. I have no further comment to add except to highlight on the part that Dr. Taye so neatly spoke out loud. “In their desperate attempt to cling onto power as long as possible, totalitarian regimes in Africa (led by morally corrupt politicians infested with negative attitude of hatred and prejudice) strive hard to manipulate and multiply the number of individuals found at the pre-conventional and conventional levels…”. That holds true to our country too. Thank you.

Your regular reader

Tariku Ambachew

Addis Ababa

Ashenafi Zedebub and me

Dear Editor

It has taken me almost 25 years to come back to your lovely country – now of course as a “tourist” – and to think of the good time I had when I was at the University for a Research Work of my dissertation before.  Just before I leave Addis Ababa I wanted to drop a few lines about your magazine, which I
found it at a supermarket. I was surprised  to see the columnist of City Talk, Ashenafi Zedebub, whose famous articles on marriage, culture,  language, literature etc in the Ethiopian Herald and also Addis Zemen ( which I had it translated them into English) were of high caliber  so much so that his writing were  the basis of my doctoral thesis. Unfortunately, at that time I was not able to see him personally, but only had the chance to chat with him on the phone once, and even so, for a couple of minutes, where I realized that he was in the best command of my native language French too.

As a person, I think he had a good touch of the “European taste” and also found him to be humorous with nice French touch.  I was nevertheless delighted to express my appreciation and to thank him as the “unknown soldier of my doctoral work”. Otherwise, as far as I could observe from your  introductory page, your magazine has great people as writers  and  please  permit me to extend my  highest appreciation to you for having such a qualitative print medium for international  readership in Ethiopia. I have requested my friend to send me this magazine constantly from now on. I wish you all the success in your future work.

Dr. Angelique Dubois
Paris

Good looking

Dear Editor,

While I have been a regular customer of your thought provoking magazine, its appearance has always disappointed me. It was boring and unattractive, until your April 2012 edition. Congratulations on the new and professional look of your magazine. Keep up the good work.

Professor Graciela Pablo

Addis Ababa