Ethiopia: Meet Dr. Berhanu Nega

Ephrem Madebo writes about Ethiopian politician, Dr. Berhanu Nega: “He is a farsighted politician, an inexhaustible intellectual, a charismatic person, and a visionary leader who is entrusted to lead our nation to a new direction, ending fifty years of dancing in a political quagmire.”

22 comments

  • Habtamu Getahun

    More or less he would be but by the time he is greatly in dilemma because he could not see his back , he was not listen our voice, he could not answer our many questions that we raise by referencing his promise in GINBOT 4 At Ethiopia meeting hall near American embassy when we were in 6 kilo.in any case i am in the side of all Ethiopians who fights against tyranny and for freedom,peace and justice…!!!!! please Dr. raise the slogan again stand in our side in the poor Ethiopians side fight against tyranny.

  • Addisu Tulema

    I am from Gamogofa; I do not know whether the editor post it or damp down to the garvage; however, the piece of writing is about my feeling; frank feeling. I compare Dr Berhanu with Bedru, even though, they are uncomparable in many aspects. I only try to show the extremes of their thinking;

    Dr Berhanu Nega has his qualities; I am sure many do not deny this. However, I want to bring forward from his words of hope to the Nation’s Politics. As all know, whenever a government is overthrown in Ethiopia, the first measure of authorities is to revenge those in power. It has been as established trend in Ethiopian political past. However, Dr Berhanu’s goal is different. In one of his speech in the Hague, Netherlands, I qoute, ‘we are to build Ethiopia, where political opposition and freedom dwells. We are to build Ethiopia, where everyone stepping down from power would walk on the road freely, except criminal. We are to build Ethiopia, where leaders of the nation walk on foot into the market place resturants tea shops where the common man gathers … so on’. He is such a wonderful Ethiopia; he is not chauvinist. On the other hand, I have come with ‘leaders’ like Bedru Adem.I do not forget him saying an Interview with VOA that Gidole is a jangle where his party established office. However, we know that Gidole is a town where people swiftly gave voice for CUD. It gave support for CUD not to listen the humiliation like ‘chaka’ but people who wished to see prospering Ethiopia with freedom and progress. History will teach him to not undermine people as ‘chaka’ whatever identity they have; but they are Ethiopians that deserve respect, at least in words if not deeds.

  • Sayee

    Yes indeed. Millions look to him to lead them in their struggle against shameless tyrants. But I am of the opinion that he is facing a crucial challenge of resolving the crises his honored party is facing by taking the higher moral groung (to borrow his words). Dr. Birhanu is not only uncontestably an able leader who has a deep understanding about the dangers we the unfateful Ethiopians are facing but also intellectually well versed to come up with solutions for our long standing problems however may be their depth and intensity. True of his competency and optimism, which many of our politicians lack (specially the latter), he won the hearts and minds of Ethiopians regardless of their background. I think it is this political success of him that bought many of his adversaries including the current crisis and infighting in his party.

    We all know the contributions of Engineer Hailu for CUDP’s flamboyant victory in the May 2005 election from his unparalleled organizational competency from the grass roots level to his consistent and determined leadership skill at the helm of the party until the whole leadership is thrown into our night mere Kaliti by the brutal Woyane. But what happened after their release. The whole media gave disproportionate attention to Dr. Birhanu which caused anger from the side of the engineer.

    While I am of the opinion that Dr. Birhanu is not the culprit causing the crisis, I maintain that he should have been tactical in handling the honor he deservedly won from the Ethiopian public. Ask me how! By managing to be second at the helm of the party until all the leaders including Eng. Hailu accept and admit that he is inevitably the son of mother Ethiopia who can lead the people to freedom and equality. As a human being Hailu tried hard to preserve his position as an icon of the grand party leading to the current crisis as Dr. Birhanu rushes to exercise his iconic role he unofficially gained, ofcourse deservedly. Have u got me? He must have been cautious until all the leaders inevitably accept his supermacy which naturally takes time.

    Any how, I am stiil confident that he will soar up high out of the current setback. They say ‘If it does not kill u, it makes u strong”

  • Tesfaye

    I personaly know DR. Berhanu and everyone in Addis Ababa University particularly in Economics Faculty never forget what he did for us . He is the only person who can change that country. No one else.

  • Solomon

    Enough is enough, no more to trust any one. I do’t believe on wards, every one was killing by the name of democracy.We know from the begining ,the expection of our politician is for power. our experience shows that Amharic version “Ethiopia hagerea yemotelesh sale yegedelesh bela”
    Do’t fool your self Dr. Berhanue has been contiender sinc EPRP and the white terrior era. He never mention about the role in his EPRP, He is one of the norious group. By defalt become a quasi Politician. we need a clean hand and a patrioet politican.

  • addis

    Dr berhanu is juts one idiot person who lloves a power ! he is too greedy _ power hungry ! thank GOD he is No still in power,,, and i dont think he will ever assume a power! now he is too hopeless , every thing is fallen appart, he might not have any political persona anymore …. lately he is acting like an activist rather than politician ,,,,,, late him cry every where,,,,, nobody cares about him………

  • Please take Time guys Don’t comment now give them some Times ever thing will comes by Time i Love them like all CUDP Leaders please don’t Divided them keeping love them
    Thank you may God bless CUDP for Ever

  • whom to belive…anyway, GOD is always there to take care od us…we need to only hope on him.
    let GOD bless ethiopia….

  • xyz

    ethiopia does not need an opportunist.Stop portraying him as the only visionary for ethiopia. If elected he will be another dictator.

  • Gezaee Hailemichael

    I am not trailer of Birhanu Nega or Prime Meles Zenawi. I do respect them for whom they are that they are human being like me. I do believe everyone has a substance to do good. I do not worship anyone. I do believe myself and other Ethiopians are capable of doing good to our country if given the opportunity. Not merely by talking or sitting in the Menelick palace but by working on the ground with 90% Ethiopian farmers.

    Do not take people by thier words. Words are nowadays used to shape or to decieve people just to get power. I know from my experience of my life in Ethiopia that if someone speaks good he is being lauded as intelligent and better than the rest of us. However, action or practice speaks louder than words. Word without action is dead as faith without practice is dead.

    I have no personal problem with anyone, but I personally do not believe Dr Berhanu Nega is an able leader. Ethiopia needs a leader more than that. Look Dr Berhan Nega has been involved in two bloodsheds. He was involved in the Addis Ababa University havoc which lead to the live shooting of our dynamic juvenile students. He has been involved in the 2005 chaos.

    If Berhanu Nega is a wise man, and he wants to build the type of Ethiopia he propheses, why he could not handle the election chaos in 2005? Some of you may say it is all Meles to be blamed. However, if one has a balanced political view, the blame actually goes to Berhanu and his cos because Berhan Nega decided to go to the streets to fight for power which lead to the death of our innocent lives. We have to do cause and effect analsis. We must not always only see the effect.

    Besides,Berhanu Nega has been an ally with Shabia while they have been having their bet to share power in addis ababa. We know now the truth as it is already published by Ethiopian people patriotic front at Ethiomedia. Now our people are being killed by shabia in Asmara as it is posted at Ethiomedia. If a party whose leading member is Dr Berhanu Nega has been putting Ethiopia between two edged sword, one havoc in addis and killing of our people in asmara, killing of our people everywhere in Ethiopia by shabia mercenaries. Where is then the Dr Berhanu Nega’s credibility? where is the integrity? where is the consistency? Besides, Dr Berhanu Nega is the main lobby of HR. HR is a remote control Ethiopian political key pad. It means American and a handful of Ethiopian American will control the destiny of 80 million Ethiopian and Berhanu Nega is one of them. According to me, Ethiopia needs much better leader than Dr Birhanu Nega. Democracy is a constuction in every country. The democracy in USA is not the same the democracy in Canada, or Ireland or Sweden, South Africa,… which means we need to contexualize democracy to our culture and tradition. We do not need to import from anyone. We are able to construct our democracy in the context of our culture, values, norms and in general according our ways of life. Dr Berhan Nega is someone who lobbies to import democracy from outside. On such grounds, I do not believe Berhanu Nega qualifies to be the leader of Ethiopia. There are many many smarter Ethiopians who keep quiet. I think we have to stop allowing people to rule our country by those who fight for power. We must elect intelligent civil leaders. We do not need urban and rural rebells who sacrifice our peoples lives for the sake of their power. No one has a right to sacrifice a single life for the sake of power.

    Accoring to me, Better Mengistu Hailemariasm than Dr Berhanu Nega. For sure I know one thing, Mengistu will not attempt to sell Ethiopia like Berhanu Nega, Dr Berhanu Nega will sell Ethiopia to anyone whom he deem who can give cash. Otherwise, Americans are not better than Ethiopian? Why do Americans have to make law for Ethiopia? Are they better than us? if that is true? it means the quality of human being is measured by material prosperity and that is why Dr Berhanu Nega wanted to import law to Ethiopia from outside. If this is Dr Berhanu Nega’s quality ,I do not think Ethiopia needs him. I better say Mengistu must be forgiven and go back-home and start work. Mengistu will be more wiser than Dr Berhanu Nega. Mengistu Hailemariam has the exeperience and the patrioticism and the confidence if he can be given a chance. Some of you may yell at me why Mengistu? yes we have to start healing, we must put the past aside and move forward, it is a shackle to live in the misery of the our past. My life in South Africa changed me the way I understand life. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela said,” we must put the past behind, we must start fresh new,’ he forgave peter Botha, the aparthied master who is a chain leader of the those robbed South African blacks their human dignity for 300 years. if one sees what black South Africans have been through for 300 years, it would be hard to believe why Nelson Mandela forgive. They have been forgiven, peter Botha was living beside me, walking free with no fear of revenge. He only died in 2006 a natural death. Revenge brings revenge. It is better to move forwarad with good faith than to dwell in the evil of the past. If one takes revenge, it will continue without an end. Ther is always someone unhappy. The way to move forward and bring lasting peace is to stop revenge at one point and then there will never be revenge. Otherwise, There was revenge againt Haileslassie, there has been revenge against Mengistu and I am sure there will be one against Meles and I am sure if trend continues, there will be a revenge agaisnt the will come to lead Ethiopia. There will no end to it.

    My general message is let us revenge, forgive everyone and start afresh. It is possible. Forgiving is not weakness, it is the level of the deapth of ones understanding. As I said earlier revenge brings another revenge, hate brings another hate. Forgiving is a healing process which brings peace to all side. It did work well in South Africa. We Ethiopians are more spiritual than South Africa in in spiritual rituals, but they are better than us now.

    Black South Africans , 85% of the South African population still do not have a house to stay, no access to eduction, their land has been taken way, their springs have been taken away, they were deprived of everything they own. Their resources have been used by their oppressors for 300 years. They did not taste it. Their women has made to marry white peoples dogs. What has happened to South Africans is even worst than Nazi Genocide because it happened for long time. But because they are black their story is not told to the world. But they have started new life and new history. They have forgiven their natural enemies. Even they have decided to tolerate those have refused to accept equality of humanity. There arre white South Africans who refused to accept equality, but they are tolerating them. When asks them why they tolerate them, they say since they do not understand they can not change them overnight. They have to tolerate them until evolution takes its time so that their children at least can change.

    We Ethiopians, who did oppress us like that? NO one except ourselves. We fight among ourselves with no end to no avail. Even we have had the worst history which shocked the whole world. No people on the earth died of famine like us while still food was rotting on the otherside of our country peopel were dying on the othersides of the counntry which has shocked the world and still left us with a negative image.

    Thus Dr Berhanu Nega is a human being he will have his own weakness as a human. We do not need to worship him. We need to take people by their action than by words.

    God bless Ethiopia and Ethiopians

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