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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”

  1. ከምን እንደምጀምር አላዉቅም እሚገርመዉና እሚያሳዝነዉ ነገር ግን አሜሪካን ቁጭ ብዬ ብርቅዬ የሆኑትን መሪዎቼን መቀበል አለመቻሌ የእናት ሞት ያእል አሳዝኖኛል እሚገርመዉ እቤቴ ቁጭ ብዬ በከረንትአፌር ይተላለፍ የነበረዉን እከታተል ነበር እሚገርመዉ ከተወሰነ ደቂቃ በኃላ ሰባንን እያለቀስኩኝ ነበር

  2. What a great day. Although the two men namely Ato Lidetu Ato Halu Shawel were the main actors to bring Kinjit to life, I am very happy to see the Kinjit delegates received by thousands of Ethiopian. Thank you ER
    God Bless all

  3. To Kinijit leaders, I say welcome… and hope to see you all in person. I never longed to see polticians face to face, but Kinjit is exception. We all love to see you, we all love to hear you and support the party in anyway we can.

    ABT, MN

  5. Dear ethiopian
    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 to america.
    we somalia and ethiopian are friends so please gather
    and fight meles and his supportor tigry people!!
    hassen
    atlanta

  6. What a great day. Indeed history has repeated itself after haileselasie. They deserve it. What a wonderful site it would have been with Hailu in Washington together with the arriving leaders. He shot himself in the foot. We have seen many stars shining today and our congratulation to the dc metro chapter leadership, the NA supprt chairman Aklog who has been instrumental and indeed the coordinating commitee who have done a superb job. Congratualation for a job well done. The young lions, Sisay, Alemayehu, Solomon from DC chapter and many more deserve big hugs as they are the future.

  8. እናንት የህዝብ ልብ ያረፈባችሁ መሪዎቻችን! በደንቆሮዎች እጅ ስትማቅቁ ቆይታችሁ በህዝብ እንባና ትግል ለዚህ በመብቃታችሁ እጂግ ተደስተናል ይሁን እንጅ የደስታችን ፍጻሚ የሰባ ሚሊዮን እንባ የታበሰ ለታ ነው ጬ ክ ና ች ሁ አታግሉን!

  10. እንኳን በደህና ገባችሁ!

    ተመስጌን ጌታዬ!
    ከብዙ ዓመታት በኋዋላ ነጻነት ነጻነት ሽተተኝ:: አግዚአብሔር ያበርታችሁ:: ይባርካችሁ:: መልካም ሃዲስ አመት ለሁላችንም::

    ከማየሁገትሰጋ

  12. This is not a good day for Meles and his Woyanne killers. However, we should not celebrate too much here. The TPLF is still busy with it’s killing business, especially in Ogaden.

  13. Congratulations!!!!!!!! I arrived at Dulles International Airport around 8:30am to welcome our leaders who were freed after 20 months of imprisonment. They languished in jail for preaching and promoting real democracy, the rule of law, justice and human rights, and the right for free expression of ideas to the people of Ethiopia. They were imprisoned because they were elected by Ethiopian people to govern and lead Ethiopia and her people to the new Ethiopian Millennium. At the airport, I could not control my excitement in seeing our heroes Ms Bertukan Mideksa and members of her delegation. 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. Let us stand for the struggle of democracy in Ethiopia. I wish for our country to be governed not by a tyrant but by a leader who is freely elected by the people. We need not want to have a leader who orders his loyal military force to kill his own people by; but what we deserve is a leader of peace who can protect his people from manmade disasters and make Ethiopia free from the sound of even a single bullet. No doubt Kinijit is the way in these regards.

  16. What a joy!I almost cried to see my people happy, dance laugh, sing, shout when they see their heroes. Imagine eveybody came by their own choice. Nobody forced anybody. When it comes from inside that’s how it looks. I am very proud of being Ethiopian today. Dear God please help our country to rise from the atrocious rule soon and let the people celebrate the freedom of our country like DC brothers and sister. Amen!

  17. The tears, the prayers and all the struggles of the Ethiopian Diaspora had not been in vain. We must return gratitude to God for allowing to see result today. If our struggle and wonderful unity continues we shall see greater things in the days that lie ahead.
    The pictures are breathtaking!!!
    Girma Damte
    [email protected]

  18. አቢየቱ አምላክ ሆይ መች ነው የቅረው ህዝብስ የሚፈታው? እባክህ የክፉን መንጋጋ ምታ:: አጋንንት አይሰልጥንብን::

    ተመስገን ስለነ ብርቱየ

  19. I just can’t stop crying while reading and looking at the pictures of the reception ceremony at the airport of Washington DC and London. I wished there was also a similar gathering in Addis.
    Democracy will prevail in Ethiopia and the great people of that country will start to be goverened by leaders elected by them!!!

    Addis Ababa

  22. To Kinijit Leaders, Real Heroes, and Elected Represntatives of the Peole of Ethiopia, who has been admired, respected and loved by the Ethiopian People at home and abroad.

    Welcome to the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave, where Democracy is prcticed. I hope and pray that your stay here would be successful in Congress, and heal all the miner wounds, divisions and gossips, that might have been spread, (I believe), by woyaney agents. I am also hoping that you would have time to come to Philadephia and have a townhall meeting with the people of Philadelphia. If we have given the chance, we would be happy and be able to do the necessary arrangements.

    Genuine Love, Respect and Admiration you are getting should be a lesson to the Meles regim, that Love, respect, and democracy can not be achieved by brute force.

    Please, Melese, if you happen to read this or hear about it, be wise and careful and learn a lesson from History. Haile Slasie with his highly trained army and artificial love of the people, Mengistu with his half a million mighty army did not save them from the anger and the might of the people, when the time comes. So let the people of Ethiopia be Free. If you do that you may have a face saving exit and a place to hide.

  23. It was a day to remember. Our heroes and our heroine Birtukan are the pride of Ethiopia. But as Professor Mesfin said we should be careful of giving too much adulation for our leadrs. But by the same token these are our leadrs and deserve all support and admiration of their fellow ethiopians. The struggle just started and our resolve is stronger than it was yesterday. Elias thanks for your excellent effort to update us. By the way the “V” sign of CUDP can also show the ushering of the new mellinium with renewed hope and peaceful strength of our spirit for our country.

  24. በዋሽንግተን እና በአካባቢው የምትኖሩ ኢትዮጽያኖች በጣም ነው የአኮራችሁን። እግዚአብሔር ይስጣችሁ። እኔ ከቶሮንቶ መጥቼ ለዚህ አጋጣሚ በአለመብቃቴ በጣም አሳዝኖኛል። ሑላችንም ብናስብበት ኖሮ የአንድ ሰአት ከግማሽ መንገድ ነው በአይሮፕላን። ለምንድ ነው እንደ ሲዔንዔን (CNN) ወይም ሌላ የቲቪ ድርጅቶች የአልተጋበዙት? እንጂነር ሃይሉ በሚመጡበት ግዜ ሚዲያዋችን መጋበዙ ጥሩ ይመስለኛል። የሰው በላው ወይም የወያኔው መንግስት ዛሬ እንደ እብድ ራሳቸው የሚታመምበት ቀን ይመስለኛል።

    መልካም አዲስ አመት ለሁላችንም።
    መልካሙ ከቶሮንቶ።

  25. I’m proud of you that what you did for the Ethiopian people today. when I see the people that waiting Dallas air port to welcome the deligaters, I cried with emotion. Anyway I thank you guys that you came the U.S. for peace. God bless you all and Happy new year.

  27. I really envy the Ethiopians in the DC for their remarkable wellcome ceremony for our heroes. We, leaving in Ethiopia, could not even celebrate release of our CUD leaders properly. This is because the woyane government made their release in secret and took them to their home following in hiding. GOD bless Ethiopia and its people.

  29. ዕለተ እሁድ ጳጉሜ 4 ከቶ የማይረሳ ቀን ነው::ለኛ ብቻ ሳይሆን ለአሜሪካኖቹም ምክኒያቱም ይህን ያህል ሕዝብ ጥቂት ሠዎችን ለመቀበል የወጡበት አጋጣሚ ቢኖር እጅግ ውስን ነውና::ወገኖቼ ደስታችንን የሚጨምር አንድ ሌላም አጋጣሚ አለ
    ሰብተምበር 15 የቅንጅት ሊቀመንበር ኢንጂኔር ኃይሉ ሻውል አሜሪካ እንደሚገቡ ተረጋግጧል::ቀኑም ቅዳሜ ነው የሚውለው አቤት ታየኝ ኤርፖርቱ ሲርድ!!!!!!
    የት ይገቡ ይሆን እነ አባ ክፋፍሌና በታትኔን? ምናልባት ጠፈር መንኰራኩር ላይ
    ያ ሁሉ ማጅራት መቺ የታጠቀው ሡሪ ተበላሽቶ ታየኝ ገና ታሁኑ;;
    ጥልመት ስትመኝ ብርሃን ወጣብህ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    መቀደዱ ያ ሁሉ የበሬ ወለደ ውክቢያው ፉርሽ ሆነ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    ኢትዮጵያ የተአምር አገር ነችና

  30. What a wonderful occasion,this is the begning of the new dream to be a reality,to see our elected leaders enjoy the true love of their people.let others learn from this .The time is changed for once and for all for those who are dreaming to govern us by force and old intrigues.The era of Democracy is shining .kinijit is the way .

  31. We will make a miracle if we unite and support Kinijit. Kinijit is the only way to go to the era of Democracy. Stand up fight for your right. The dream of our childhood shall be true.

  32. ምነው መሪው አልመጡ? ለምንስ እናንተ ዝማአላችሁ? እንዴትስ ተለያችኋቸው? ይለፍ ውደአሜሪካ እንዳይገቡ ተከለሉ የሚባለው ዕውነት ነው? ከሆነስ ከዕናተ በተለየ አሜሪካን ምን አስቀየሙት?
    ለነገሩ አሜሪካን ምን እንድታደርጉለት ይፈልጋል፤ እንጂነሩስ ምን ቃል መግባት ተሳናቸው?
    እንዴዉ በወንዝ አምላክ መልሱልኝ።

    ብርቱካን ወርቅነበርሽና ያአለተፈጥሮሽ እንዳትዝጊ።

  33. When I see you well and alive, I was engulfed with joy and happiness, but immediately my memories took me two years back and I couldn’t help my tears. I see the picture of a mother, Etenesh Yimer who was brutally murdered in front of her kids by TPLF.

  34. እጅግ በጣም ደስ የሚል አቀባበል ነው በህዝብ መወደድ ይህን ይመስላል ባንጻሩ መጠላት መለስና ግብረ አበሮቹን እንደ ፍልፈል በመሬት ውስጥ ያስኬዳል

    እንበርታ ቅንጅቱን በተግባር እንደግፍ

    አሌክስ ከኦስሎ ኖርዌ

  36. Hello everyone,
    i am so happy to see our heros to be in free land. God bless you all. Thank you, Thank you. We love you. We will follow your way until a true freedom comes to our people. No matter what the truth shall win. Hope to see you here in Minnesota.

  37. I Wish I was there. I know the feeling of meeting true and genuine leaders. This is a true Ethiopian pride. This year will be the begining of the rest of our life when true and genuine democracy will prevail in our land. Embracing our true leaders, let us all forget the past night mares and start living the future true dreams. Welcome Birtukan, Birhanu, and others. Viva Kinigit!! I can’t wait seeing you in Atlanta.

  38. What a joyous moment! When will the people in Ethiopia be free to express their happinness and connect with their leaders freely? It is great to be loved like this.The leaders will have to live up to the responsibility bestowed upon them. This is a huge responsibility and hope they can shoulder it.

  39. As there were tears by their unjust arrest, there is joy now, yet we have a long way to go to reunite Ethiopia as one nation. Let us stand UNITED regardless of race, ethnicity or whatever there maybe as a challenge infront of us. One Nation, One People based on equality and justice.

  40. Thanks a million to ER!! First I would like to pass a healthy & prosperous Ethiopian New Year 2000, “ENQUTATASH” to all brothers & sisters of Ethiopians. My heart is full of harmony & pleasure when I see the pictures of CUD-heroes are out of Addis to join the Diaspora community. Hope they will work hard with unity to resolve the individual isolated move broken and strengthen the sprite of KINIJIT in all parts of the world. Wonyane has put a rope on his neck and lost the heart of the people.
    Addis Ababa, 4-k

  42. WOW…WOW THIS ARE YOUR HEROES. THEY ARE FEREWOCH EJACHEWN YESETU. DU U KNOW THEY SINGED THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE CHARGES TO GET OUT OF PRESION?IF THEY ARE THE TRUE HERROES AS YOU VLAIM THEY SHOULD HAVE FIGHT UNTIL THE END. PLEASE GET REAL FREEDOM DOSE NOT GOING TO COME FROM WASHINGTON YOU SHOULD PAY WITH YOUR BLOOD BACK HOME INSIDE THE CONUNTRY YOU PROFESSED TO LOVE NOT FROM THE WARM BEDS AND HOMES OF USA AND ETC…. PUT UP OR SHUTUP..

  43. thanks for the story and these great pictures of the heroic men and women of ethiopia.
    though we were not able to welcome our heroes at the airport, you really made us part of the whole event.
    thanks once again.

  45. I can not describe my happiness. Greeting with lots of love and respect the CUD leaders is one of the remarkable moment in Ethiopia history. This is the first time for our history to see leaders elected by majorty of Ethiopian people. Lets work together for great Ethiopia. IN UNITE WE STAND !!!!!!

  46. Chinese proverb says it all—“A picture is worth a thousand words” take a look dictator Meles—these are the people who are chosen and loved by the most majority of all Ethiopian people from all walks of life.

  47. It is great to see this great leaders were recived with such warm reception. We wish we had this opportunity to receive with such joy at home, but woyane do not allow us to do so

  48. I feel happy when I read the message & see the photos. I wish to see such scenario in Ethiopia especially in Addis.
    Congratulations to our heros & heroines and all supporters of Kinijit!
    Thanks!

  49. Ethiopia stretches her hands to God with her genuine CUD leaders. so our elected leaders keep on doing the same job till you attain your mission-uniting and ruling ethiopia in democracy. Down with TPLF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Happy new year and millennium for those who love ethiopia.

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