Open Letter to the CUDP Leaders

Dear Chairman Mr. Hailu Shawel and Executive Members of the Kinijit:

I am writing this letter to you with deep respect and gratefulness to all of you for what you have done for our beloved country. Your contributions towards creating a better Ethiopia have been monumental and the Ethiopian public, of which I am part, knows what sacrifices you have all made to bring about this significant accomplishment for all us. You may not realize the extent to which the Ethiopian Millennium was more filled with joy and hope because of your recent release from the dark cells of prison.

Many Ethiopians have been anxiously looking forward to this day after experiencing the pain and despair we felt during the past twenty months of your imprisonment. Our excitement was tempered with the realization that we had won a battle, but not the war as many remain in prison throughout our country and many Ethiopians continue to suffer. Yet, since your release on July 20th, most of us Ethiopians in North America have looked forward, with great anticipation, to your arrival here. However, the greatest expectation from Ethiopians everywhere is that you will give us direction and guidance in our struggle to win the war for our freedom.

During your absence, we Ethiopians in the Diaspora have stumbled and fallen over the last months and year as divisions in the Kinijit leadership, as well as amongst other political, civic and religious organizations, have eroded our progress, leading to increasing confusion, frustration and discouragement.

Right now, many are looking to you to be pro-active in solving the serious crisis within the Kinijit and to reach out to embrace other organizations.

Most of us hoped that once you were released from prison and came to the United States, you would be able to delve into the reasons behind the split between the KIC and the KIL, to resolve it and in doing so, would be able to renew the spirit of unity that existed before the election of 2005. We ask for your devoted and undivided attention in addressing and resolving the current divisions so we Ethiopians can fight together in a united struggle against the oppression, deprivation and corruption that surrounds our people like the bars of a prison cell.

Why is it that the most difficult part of our battle has not been fighting our adversary on the frontlines, but instead it has been the struggle from within? It creeps in quietly through the backdoors of unspoken conflicts, unwarranted criticism, misunderstanding, lack of communication, unverified assumptions and avoidance. Sometimes there is clear wrongdoing on the part of someone and relative innocence on the part of others or there can be shared responsibility for a problem.

In many cases, both sides have valid points. However, without due diligence, these conflicts can go unresolved, simmering underneath the surface for months and years, taking energy and health away from both. The longer such problems go unresolved, the greater is the risk that anger will bear its undesirable fruit of alienation, division, hatred and infighting… continued on next page >>