Rejuvenating the Diaspora: Kinijit’s U.S. – E.U. tour

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Also:
- Today's Top HEADLINES
- Learning from HR 2003
- INTERNATIONAL news
- Picture of the day
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[AUDIO] - Report on the Ethiopian government’s reprehensible decision to send LUCY on tour for money

(See below 'PROSTITUTING LUCY' for more)
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ETP - Top officials of the coalition for unity and democracy party CUDP (also former prisoners of conscience), will be leaving Addis Abeba in less than two weeks - on a working tour of North America and the E.U - aiming to rejuvenate and revive the diaspora constituency of their organization.

The delegation that will be arriving in North America to primarily undertake the delicate task of deciphering and resolving the crises that had enveloped dispora CUDP, will be lead by the party’s chairman engineer Hailu Shawl and will include Bertukan Mideksa (VP), Dr Berhanu Nega (mayor elect of Addis Abeba), Dr Hailu Araya (CUDP’s spokesperson), Gizachew Shiferraw (Public Relations) and Brook Dawit. They are also planning a stopover at several cities in the U.S. and Canada for a meet and greet with support chapter members.

The three individuals tasked with facilitating the north America tour in conjunction with the support chapters are Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam, Tamagn Beyene, and Dr. Solomon Alemu. They were chosen because of their neutrality in regards to the rivalry within the diaspora functions and their acceptability to both sides. It is to be remembered that Professor Alemayehu and Dr. Solomon served as impartial observers at the singing of the June agreement between the two groups which intended to end the feud. The agreement lasted only a few days.

A second team of prominent members of the party’s leadership will also be travling to the E.U. This team consists of ; Muluneh Eyuel(Secretary General), Yacob Haile Mariam (External Affairs), Abayneh Berhanu(council member), Kifle Tigneh and Aschalew Ketema (council member). The CUD Africa/Europe council is expected to welcome the delegation.

Kinijit is hoping that this tour will reenergize the diaspora and completely bring to an end the infighting and feud that had plagued its support organizations for well over a year.

Today's Top HEADLINES

-An Ethiopian Dilemma (Donald N. Levine)
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-Ethiopia: Forests for Biofuel - a Dubious Swap?
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-Haile-greatness on and off the track (Sports Illustrated)
-GFA awaits FIFA over Ethiopia pull-out
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Learning from HR 2003

(Dessalegn Asfaw)....My point is to re-emphasize the need to treat independently the various actors in this occasion and also to treat each actor with empathy and trust. Professor Ephrem in his mediating capacity cannot be expected to campaign for H.R. 2003 and at best can be expected to remain neutral while appearing against. Besides, one person's opposition to the bill ought not make a difference, and if it does, then the Ethiopian-American lobby should blame only itself......H.R. 2003 must remain solely the task of Ethiopian-Americans. That way, if it passes, neither the mediators nor Kinijit leadership can be held responsible for its passing.(MORE...)

Also see:
-The Christian Science Monitor talks to Prof. Alemayehu and Prof. Ephraim
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

-S Africa Aids sacking condemned
-Wall St skids on renewed subprime worry
-U.S. withdrawal needed for security, Iran tells Iraq
-Israel wants to deal with refugee issue up-front
-Powerful earthquake strikes Indonesia
-Fossils challenge old evoluton theory*

Picture of the day

Prostituting LUCY

(Prostitution = Renting/selling one’s body for money) - Ethiopian officials are sending LUCY to a six year American tour for an undisclosed amount of money. Ever since LUCY was discovered, Ethiopians were not permitted to see her; instead, a replica of LUCY was featured at the national museum. The real Lucy has only been displayed twice in Ethiopia. But now, LUCY will be leaving for a SIX year tour to the United States. Renowned U.S. museums refuse to display LUCY saying “fossils should only be removed from their vaults for "compelling" scientific purposes “. Experts agree “Lucy is irreplaceable and is now being placed at huge risk” they say. What if the plane carrying LUCY crashes? What If there is a crack, breaks or is tainted in any way; what amount of insurance money can replace a 3 million year old fossil? What is the government of Ethiopia thinking when it approved this tour? MONEY!?

-Ethiopians fret as 'Lucy' skeleton heads to U.S.
-Row sparked by US tour of 3.2m-year-old Lucy skeleton





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