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Short list of Ethiopian Review’s “Person of the Year”

Posted on , Updated on by EthiopianReview.com

The following is a short list of the Ethiopian Review “2009 Person of the Year.” The choice will be made from among these five individuals on December 31.

Listed in alphabetical order:

Ali Abdu, Ministry of Information, Eritrea, for giving voice to the voiceless people of Ethiopia

Andargachew Tsige, Secretary General, Ginbot 7, for having the courage to leave his comfortable home in Europe and join Ethiopian freedom fighters in the desert, while his 80-year-old father is held hostage in Ethiopia by the tribal junta

Birtukan Mideksa, Chairperson, UDJ, for having the courage to stand on principle, and leading by example

Isaias Afwerki, President, Eritrea, for standing with the people of Ethiopia while the international community continues to ignore their plight and the West collaborates with the genocidal regime

Sileshi Tilahun, U.K. Representatives, EPPF, for helping remove some chronic obstacles in the armed resistance group and contributing to its emergence as a viable political organization; also for playing a major role in the ongoing constructive dialogue between Ethiopians and Eritreans

The person who will be chosen as “Person of the Year” is believed to have contributed the most to the betterment of Ethiopia during the past 12 months.

130 thoughts on “Short list of Ethiopian Review’s “Person of the Year””

  6. My vote goes for;

    1. Mr. Sileshi Tilahun, for changing the political paradigm from a Woyanne dominated running around a circle to a focused movement for a united Ethiopia without ethnic or religious differences.

    2. Mr. Andergachew Tsigie, for having the courage to stand up and fight for the rights of the Ethiopian people.

    3. Ms. Birtukan Mideksa, for facing jail instead of selling out her principles. I only hope that she will not be used as a tool by westerners to blunt the incoming volcano of a united Ethiopian struggle to get rid of the Woyanne tribal junta. Ethiopians should be very careful on this issue, westerners always think two or three moves ahead, I only hope Ms. Birtukan will not let herself be used by westerners as an alternative to Melles while still being controlled by them.

  7. I totally agree with what Girma said above and I just acknowldge his nominations

    1. BirtukanMideksa
    2. Andargachew Tsige
    3. Sileshi tilahun
    4. Isaias Afewerki
    5. Ali abdu

  8. Com’on Elias!

    Birtukan Mediksa deservs the crown, not Ali Abdu or Esayas Afeworki. Andargachew Tsige is less deserving amongst the list makers. He has yet to have risked his life like Birtukan did, she is too courageous to walk back into the mouth of the beast knowing what awaits her. And she had had the taste of prison for two years and she still went to Addis knowing what she knows. Even though she was thrown back in again, I think it takes more than just steel balls Esayas Afework has, it takes a set of platinum titts to risk it all again.

  9. I would say Isaias Afowerki, because of his contribution and the help he providing to the Ethiopian freedom fighters but since he was man of the year in 2008, this year should be defferent person, my choices are first choice Sileshi Tilahun second choice Ali Abdu third choice Andargachew Tsige, Birtukan Mideksa

  12. All r wondeful for me as they contribute to the betterment of the people of ethiopia as well to stability of the region.Accordingly
    i ranked them
    1)Birtuka
    2)Andargachew
    3)Sileshi
    4)Issayas
    5)Ali

  21. This is a though one, Because without Isaias’ help, the it will be though going for the freedom fighters. and yet symbolically, Birtukan’s stand is empowering. Practically, Sileshi’s practical engagement with Eritrea is far more productive and progressive in advancing Ethiopia’s both short and long term interest. If I had a choice I would give it to both Isaias and Sileshi, for the ideological, cultural and military leap forward registered by their alliance.

  27. Birtukan!

    Birtukan has no parallel in sacrificing her very basic interest for Ethiopia not for an Ethiopian province. She gave up the love of her daughter and her mother and comfortable life for the principle she stood up for, ensuring the freedom of subjugated Ethiopians.

    God bless Ethiopia!

  31. Birtukan is the least deserving among the Ethiopian candidates. She is one of the reasons why our struggle is where it currently is at. She is just a saloon politician who needs all her make-up kits to just look concerned. The fight between her and Zenawi is the fight between two Hollywood or Sheraton celebrities. That she is in woyane prison, as Abiye told us, is because Zenawi is jealous of her because she cuts a better figure than him in the saloon where the diplomatic core congregates. Simply put, she dances tango better than Zenawi.

    My choice is the venerable Andargachew of Ginbot 7 who now rejects Zenewi in toto.

  32. I suggest the number one should be Andargachew Tsige, he happens to be the first high profile opposition leader to visit the patriots in Eritrea and his nomination will certainly trigger sense of nationalism in other opposition leaders like Dr Birhanu Nega who I think is losing guts. As a plus, Andargachew Tsige’s father has paid the ultimate sacrifice to be in one of the worst prisons systems in the world, his son’s nomination as “ERs Person of the Year” is for sure a medallion for him, something that will keep him in good spirit in the prison.
    Birtukan Mideksa undeniably has paid magnificent sacrifice but she should not have trusted the woyanne to be back to Ethiopia, I would have been extremely proud of her if her trip was to Eritrea to the Patriots who need icons like her for encouragement.
    Ali Abdu’s role is always supported by his president and I am sure without the willingness of President Isayas, he wouldn’t have done a thing but I applaud him for working hard to give Ethiopians the voice we have been denied in our own mother land.
    Isayas Afeworki has already been nominated as Person of Year last year, as much as I like to see him on it again, others should be given the chance this year so that we may have more people to work hard to earn the title next year.
    Sileshi Tilahun has made incredible things for EPPF and for our country in general but if i have to choose him, it will be with regret because he has done it with his friend Elias.
    One thing I have wished today is that if Elias had not been owner of ER, he could have earned the number one spot soundly along with Sileshi Tilahun but it would be an ultimate irony for Elias to choose himself and his friend as persons of the year.
    God Bless Ethiopia

  35. Meles Zenawi!

    OK now that I got everyone’s attention, of course I am joking!

    I think while the above lists include very deserving peoples’ names, I like to nominate Ato Elias Kifle for single handedly creating a space where Eritreans and Ethiopians felt comfortable to discuss their common issues since the Weyane criminals created a gap among our peoples. Elias took a lot of undeserving hit from practically all the Ethiopian websites, intellectuals, who sadly are good at writing thesis college dissertations. These writers and other media hosts many times questioned his “Patriotism” as if patriotism was defined as being warmonger and uni-vision. He patiently and quietly explained to his challengers that came in many colors that a solid relationship with Eritrea was the only way since we have many common interests than any other countries. It takes a man (or woman) of vision to travel to Eritrea when many Ethiopians were under the misguided Weyane propaganda that Eritrea was the enemy of Ethiopia. I think not.

  43. I’m happy Birtukan made it to the short list but am not convinced that she would have remained intact in finding the viable option for Ethiopia and Ethiopians. My feeling is that she would have slept with the Ethno-facists of Tigray like the likes of Hailu Shawel and the rest who are under the illusion of solving the problem through a pacive resistance. Anyone with differing opinion must forward the case!!! The course of action must be drawn in oreder to dislodge these thugs of Abay Tigray.

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