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Ethiopians in Washington and London welcome Kinijit leaders

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
Kinijit leaders at their hotel in Downtown Washington DC pose for photo with Ato Aklog Lemeneh and his Kinijit North America leadership team that sponsored and financed the leaders’ USA tour. [photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
Kinijit leaders at their hotel in Downtown Washington DC posing for photo with officials of the former Kinijit International Leadership. L to R Dr Berhanu Nega, Ato Gizachew Shiferraw, Ato Brook Kebede, Judge Bertukan Mideksa, Dr Hailu Araya; back L to R Ato Berhane Mewa, Dr Gebreye Wolde-Rufael, Ato Daniel Assefa, Dr Moges Gebre-Mariam [photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
Kinijit leaders at their hotel in Downtown Washington DC posing for photo with officials of the Kinijit Washington DC Metro Chapter [photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
Ethiopia’s lady liberty Bertukan Mideksa and Addis Ababa Mayor-elect Berhanu Nega at Dulles Airport this morning [photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
Kinijit Vice President Bertukan Mideksa’s arrival at Dulles Airport [photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

12:45 PM
Members of the Kinijit delegation that arrived in Washington are now resting in their hotel after spending some time greeting Kinijit representatives from several chapters. Ato Aklog Lemeneh, chairman of the Kinijit North America chapters and Ato Yilma Adamu, Kinijit DC Metro chapter chairman introduced the representatives to Wzt. Bertukan and the other members of the delegation. Then they posed for photos (will be posted shortly). Tonight the delegates are scheduled to attend a small dinner reception organized by members of the welcoming team Ato Tamagne Beyene, Dr Alemayehu Gebremariam, and Dr Solomon Alemu, in collaboration with Kinijit North America and Kinijit DC Metro. After holding a series of meetings with officials of Kinijit North America chapters throughout the week, the next major public appearance for the delegates will be a town hall meeting next weekend. It is expected to be the largest Ethiopian gathering ever in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area. More photos and video later on…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
Addis Ababa Mayor-elect Dr Berhanu Nega at Dulles Airport this morning [photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

12:15 PM
Kinijit Secretary General Ato Muluneh Eyoel and his delegation have left the London Heathrow Airport and they are now on their way to their hotel accompanied by Ato Andargachew Tsige and hundreds of Ethiopians who welcomed them. The love and affection shown to the delegates is impossible to describe. It is truly a memorable experience. It is a demonstration that Kinijit has won the hearts and minds of Ethiopians of all walks of life…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
Kinijit Secretary General Muluneh Eyoel (center) with r. to l. Dr Yacob Haile-Mariam, Ato Abayneh Berhanu, Ato Kifle Tigneh and Ato Aschalew Ketama at the London Heathrow Airport [photo by Kinijit UK]

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

11:30 AM EST
Ato Muluneh Eyoel and the second Kinijit delegation is now being greeted by hundreds of Ethiopian at the Heathrow Airport in London. The crowd is chanting, singing and whistling. It is an emotional scene. Ato Muluneh, Dr Yacob Hailemariam, Ato Abaineh Berhanu, Ato Kifle Tigneh and Ato Aschalew Ketema are receiving a heroes’ welcome by Ethiopians in London. The feeling being expressed by the people is just awesome…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

10:50 AM EST
Kinijit Vice President Bertukan and her delegation, Dr Hailu Araya, Ato Gizachew Shiferraw, Dr Berhanu Nega and Ato Brook Kebede, are now approaching their hotel in Downtown DC. Hundreds of cars adorning Ethiopian flag are following them. When they arrive at the hotel, there will be a photo session with representatives of Kinijit from several cities, as well as Ethiopian community leaders in the Washington DC area. Dulles Airport is still crowded with Ethiopians who are now existing. Earlier it was an amazing scene — the airport was completely overtaken by Ethiopians. It was impossible to control the crowd, so the police decided to take the Kinijit leaders to their limousines through a side door. Kinijit is indeed a people’s party…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

10:28 AM EST
Another delegation of Kinijit leaders headed by Secretary General Muluneh Eyoel and including Ato Abayneh Berhanu, Dr Yacob Hailemariam, Ato Kifle Tigneh and Ato Aschalew Ketema has arrived at the London Heathrow airport now. Ato Andargachew Tsige and other Kinijit officials as well as hundreds of Ethiopians are waiting to welcome them at the airport…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

10:04 AM EST
Now the Kinijit leaders have entered their limousines and are heading toward their hotel in Downtown Washington DC. There is motorcade of hundreds of cars following them. Ato Aklog Lemeneh, chairman of Kinijit North America chapters, told Ethiopian Review that the leaders will not make a public appearance for a couple of days, but will have a series of meetings with representatives of Kinijit chapters through out the U.S. today and in the coming few days. They are also scheduled to meet with members of the U.S. Congress and other U.S. Government officials…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

9:45 AM EST
There are now over 5,000 (by some estimate more) Ethiopians at Dulles Airport welcoming Kinijit leaders. The police and the organizers are unable to control the crowd, so the delegates had to return to the waiting area until things settle down. The crowed is too emotional and it is becoming unsafe for the leaders to pass through. The love the people are showing the Kinijit leaders is amazing. It has been a while since Ethiopia has political leaders who are loved by the people this way…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

9:30 AM EST
It is an incredible scene! The Kinijit leaders are now being greeted by their supporters. There is a lot of emotion. Some are crying, others are shouting. The airport terminal is overwhelmed by the size of the crowed. Several limousines are waiting the delegates outside…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

8:45 AM EST – Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia (about 90km from Downtown Washington DC) is being swamped by Ethiopians carrying flags. Right now there are already over 1,000 people. They are awaiting the arrival of Kinijit leaders. ER contributor Teddy Mekbeb has just pulled in the parking lot. He said that he has seen several cars with Ethiopian flags on the freeway heading to the airport…

Welcoming Kinijit leaders at Dulles Airport, Sep 9. 2007click to enlarge
[photo by Tewodros Mekebeb]

8:30 AM EST – Close to a thousand Ethiopians are currently awaiting Kinijit vice president Bertukan Mideksa and her delegation of high level Kinijit leaders at the Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia. The Ethiopian Airlines plane carrying Wzt. Bertukan, Dr Hailu Araya, Ato Gizachew Shiferraw, and Ato Brook Kebede is scheduled to arrive at 8:30 AM…

109 thoughts on “Ethiopians in Washington and London welcome Kinijit leaders”

  3. It is incredible day for those of Ethiopian who dreams their country goes in right direction because those leaders who arrived to day are the one who makes our dream true . i just want to say welcome our hope our every thing.

  6. We welcome you to America, the land of the free and the home of brave. Where the freedom of speech is guaranteed under the constitution and everyone’s view is protected. This is a time to Unite not divide. As Ethiopians celebrate an important New Year, I pray that your mission here is successful as you try to make kinijit a strong and viable political party in Ethiopia.

  7. There are three important dates this year that should be in record book. One when the leaders were released, second their arrival abroad and third celebrating year 2000 what a loaded year. I am realy happy. Ethiopia is marching ahead with these leaders. We should be proud today when we receive the delegation headed by judge Bertukan Mideksa.

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  10. Thanks bro. Elias for the update. I broke into tears as I was following you report 1000 miles away. I am proud of our DC sisters and brothers. It is a great hope for our beloved country to see political leaders truly loved by their people, never seen in our country’s history.
    What a great day!!

    May God Bless Ethiopia

  11. Lidetu has missed this love, admiration and respect because he put his personal ambition above the party’s cause for democracy.
    The people love these leaders because they, the leaders, made no compromise on the values of liberty. They didn’t try to consider the weyane definition of “Abyotawi democracy”.
    አብዮት ማለት አመጽ ማለት ነው:: አብዮታዊ ዲሞክራሲ ደግሞ የአመጽ ወይም የጉልበት ዲሞክራሲ ማለት ነው::
    Geda

  15. Congradulations to all peace loving people of Ethiopia. Today is a day of Hope for true Ethiopians but, for the weyane puppets and tayrants is a day of death. God bless Ethiopia.

  16. በጣም ነው የሚያስደስተው። ለእውነት የቆሙ እና መስዋእት ለከፈሉት የቅንጅት አባሎች ሁሉ ምስጋናችን በጣም የላቀ ነው። ለዚሕም ነው ሕዝቡ ወጥቶ የተቀበላቸው። መለሰ እና ጋደኞቹ ሲመጡ ግን የተቃውሞ ሰልፍ ነው የሚጠብቃቸው። ያላቸው አማራጭ በጋሮ በር አንገታቸውን ደፍተው፡ ምን አይነት ጉድ ነው ሕዝብ የማይወደን….ይላሉ። ምንአልባት ከዚህ ትንሽ ትምሕርት ይወስዱ ይሆናል።

    መልካም አዲስ አመት ወይም መለኒይም ለሁላችንም።
    ከካናዳ

  18. compare this to those Woyane’s high officials who must hide from Ethiopians and light like roaches!!!!

    They were not even allowed to come through the front gate.

    There is no place for NEGEDE BANDA in Ethiopia or in Diaspora!!!!!

  19. ይህ ቀን ለጠላት ማፈሪያና መደበቂያ ሲሆን ለዴሞክራሲ ናፋቂዎች ታላቅ የምስራች ነው:: ብራቮ በሰሜን አሜሪካ ያላችሁ ኢት/ዊያን አኮራችሁን ጀግኖች መሪዎቻችን ከእንግዲህ በጻነት ወደ ሚተነፍሱበትና ለዓለም ሕዝብ የኢትዮጵያን ስቆቃ የሚያሳዩበት ጊዜ ነው::

  20. This is a great day to all Ethiopian i am shur the worled never seen such love God Love Ethiopia and the ppl We Eill Be Free soon Thanks to our Leaders viva Kinijit.

  21. እንኳን ደስ አለን። ዛሬ እጅግ ልዩ እና ታላቅ ቀን ነው። ቅንጅት የሕዝብ መንፈስ ነው። ከገጠር እስከ ከተማ፣ ከአዲስ አበባ እስከ ዋሺንግተን ዲሲ፣ ከኢትዮጵያ እስከ አሜሪካ፣ አውሮፓ፣ አፍሪካ እና አውስትራሊያ። እንኳን በደኅን መጣችሁልን! ውድ የቅንጅት መሪዎች!!!
    ታዛቢ፣ ከአውሮጳ

  22. Hello Everyone
    Today we all members and supporters here in Washington DC are pleased to see and welcome our heroes of the new Mellennium. It was a great day for us living in the deaspora. We have to contineu our struggle for democracy. It is time

  23. ይድረስ ለኢህአዴግ (ህውሃት) መሪዋች :
    ህዝብ የወደደው እንዲህ ይደረግለታል::ለ እውነተኛ ዲሞክራሲ ብትቖሙ ህዝብ ሳይጠየቅ በራሱ አነሳሽነት ይህን ባደረገላችው ነበር:: ልጆቻችው እማይፍርባችው አባቶች መሆን ከፈለጋችው አሁንም ለመስተካከል ለመወደድ ጊዜ አለ::
    ጆሮ ያለው ይስማ !!!!!!

    ገዳ

  27. Two thumbs up!!!! Victory for all peace loving Ethiopians!!! I am thrilled to death to see these brave Ethiopians who stood strong for all those innocent Ethiopians who lost their lives and for those who are still rotting in jail for the sake of democracy.

  28. እሊአስ በጣም ነው የምናመስግነው ይህ ነው ጀግንነት
    እንዴት ያኮራል አንድ መሆን አቶ መለስ እባክህ እዚህ
    ተማር ህዝብ ጋር መጣላት እንዴት እንደሚአደርግ
    ህዝብ ጋር መዋደድ እንዴት እንደሚአስደስት

  30. I didn’t manage to go to the air port and welcome the heroes but just watching the photos made me to burst in to tears. How blessing it is to win the public minds and hearts. Welcome again.

  31. Welcome to the Land of the Free-US /minus its Ethiopian policy which betrayed and let millions of Ethiopians down /. Hope for a greater struggle for rule of law in Ethiopia and change of US foreign policy towards Ethiopia in this Millennium. Support the HR-2003 to stop the massacre by this terrorist TPLF group/Ethiopia’s AlQueda/
    yacob

  32. Be astenagjoch ena akebabel bemiadergewu hezib kenahu minew eniem beneberku alku.MENFESAWI KINAT enkuan des yalachihu.
    melkam ken !!!!!!!!!!!!
    Melkam yenilenium beal emegnilachihualehu
    egzihabher ethiopian kenelijochua ytebkat
    yenantewu

  34. Hello everyone, what a day!!!!! I am excited to see those heroes of ours once again leading their people to the road of freedom, peace and equality! God bless their heart! Good Job my heroes!

    Thanks

  35. I am really proud that I am Ethiopian and to have such beloved people like our Heroes. I pray that God may help them and our mother land ETHIOPIA.

    Happy New year !

  36. Congratulations….all Members and supporters
    Today is a great day for all of us. It is really great to see our heroes leaders of the Millennium. I am so happy to see our them…( our heroes) at the eve of the new year… . We are pleased to welcome them here in USA, to the land of freedom and Democracy. The Ethiopian people also demand such kind of freedom and democracy on their own land. Stand for the struggle for democracy in Ethiopia. No doubt….Kinijit is the way. There are a lot of things to be done a head of us. God bless Ethiopia… God bless our leaders…..

  38. ቅንጀት የፖለቲካ ፓርቲ አይደለም። ቅንጅት ከፖለቲካ ፓርቲነት ያለፈ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ ለነጻነቱን፣ ለአንድነቱና ለመብቱ ለሚያደረገዉ ትግል ምልክት ነዉ። ቅንጅት የለዉጥ እንቅስቃሴ ነዉ።

    ዛሬ በዋሺንግተን ዲሲ የታየዉ ታሪካዊ ክንዋኔ ይሄንኑ ነዉ ያሳየዉ። ለአምስቱ ከፍተኛ የቅንጅት አመራር አባላት የተደረገዉ ወደር የለሽ አቀባባል ለኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ የተደረገ አቀባበል ነዉ።

    እንግዲህ የኢሕአዴግ ባለሥልጣናት ከዚህ የሚማሩት ነገር መኖር አለበት። እነርሱ በሌሊትና እንደ ጅብ ተደብቀዉ ነዉ የሚመጡት። ከሕዝብ ጋር መገናኘት እንደ አለርጂ ያቃጣላቸዋል። በሕዝብ መወደድ ማለት ይሄ ነዉ። የሕዝብ ወገን መሆን ማለት ይሄ ነዉ።

    “ዳያስፖራዉ ራዲቻል ነዉ” ብለዉ የዛሬዉን ክስተት ሊያጣጥሉት ይችሉ ይሆናል። ሐቁ ግን ለማንም ግልጽ ነዉ። በዉጭ አገር ብቻ ሳይሆን በአገር ቤትም ሰዉ እነርሱን ሲያገኝ በኤለትሪካ እንደ ተያዘ ነዉ የሚነዝረዉ። ለዚህም ፈረንሳይ ለጋሲዮን ይመስክር …….

    ቅንጅት አሸንፏል !!!!!
    ቅንጅት የሕዝብ ነዉ !!!!!
    ቅንጅት አንደ ነዉ !

  40. I can’t believe what I am witnessing. This is history of our country and our people. The people of Ethiopia is going to win no matter what will take. God bless the mother land.

  42. This day will go down in Ethiopian history as one of the days Ethiopians showed thrier thirst for demcracy and freedom.The shear number of pepole at the airport to welcome the elceted leaders tells more than a story.The ones who had the opportunity to be there had shown thier solidarity to the Ethiopian public and the like of me who live halfway across the globe had the chance to be in DC in spirit by listening to the different live broadcasts through the internet.
    I am hopeful this generation of the diaspora will have a chance to celebrate a democartic victory at our home land, Ethiopia.
    God Bless Ethiopia and its people!
    Neamin
    BC, Canada.

  43. Unflinchingly principled in the face of unparallel evil, with their humanity and humility the have shown to the world that they have no enemy but serving their people is their Solomon duty they take at heart. They have shown to the world but most of all to their fellow man and woman that they will carry any burden and pay any price to guarantee the flickering of freedom keep on lighting. We are thankful that the Ethiopian soil is fertile enough to produce these kinds of heroes and heroines

  44. በአለም ዙሪያ ለተበተናችሁ ኢትዮጵያኖች በሙሉ እንኳን ለአዲስ አመት አደረሳችሁ በድጋሚ እንኩአን ደስ ያላቸሁ መሪዎቻችንን ለመቀበል ለታደላችሁ በሰሜን አሜሪካ ለምትኖሩ ኢትዮጵያዉያን ሁሉ መልካም ስራ ምን ያሀል ዉጤት እንዳለዉ የወያኔ ባለስልጣኖች ከዚህ ቢማሩና ይቅርታ ጠይቀዉ ወደ ህዝብ ተቀላቅለዉ ለህዝብ ድምጽ መገዛትን ከነዚህ ብርቅዬ መሪዎች አይተው ወደፊት ለሃገር ማሰብ እንዲችሉ ጭንላታችዉን የሽፈነዉ ሞራ እንዲገፈፍላቸዉና እራሳችዉን የሚጠይቁበት አመት ያርግላችዉ

  45. The compassionate and democratically elected leaders, CUDP leaders enjoy support of the people, while wolves, Woyanes even survive only through devastation of their victims, the people.

  46. ጀግናዋ ብርቱካን እንኳን በዚህ ለጋ ዕድሜሽ እንዲህ ለገነነ ክብር በቃሽ። ይህን አኩሪ ክብር አንችን ያልሆኑ አንችነትሽን ይሚሻሙ እንዳያቆሹሽ ጥንቃቄ አድርጊ። ለዚህ ያበቃሽ ዉልውል ያልነበረው ለሃግርሽ ታሪክ ተቆርቃሪነትሽ ፤ ለዎገንሽ ያለሽ ጥልቅ ፍቅር እና ፍትሕን በያኝነትሽ እንጅ ሰወች በግል ፍላጎታቸዉ ያጎናጸፉሽ አይደለምና ኣሁንም ጠብቂው።

  49. If you think this was grand, wait til their town hall meeting in a couple of weeks. Alem new yemiyalfew.

    One note, for our Somali brothers and sisters thanks for your kind comments. All our problems will be solved peacefully, ones we get rid of this monsters that are holding hostage both Ethiopians and Somalis back home.

  50. እንኳን ደስ አላችሁ እኛም ደስ ብሎናል:: መሪዎቻችን ከስር ወጥተው አፍቃሪ ወገኗቻቸውን ለማየት አበቃቸው:: አውስትራሊያ ሜልበርን እኛም ጋ ይሄ ቀን የሚሆንበ ትን ቀንእንዲሳካ በትጋት
    እየሰራን ነው

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