By Elias Kifle
The Iyasu Alemayehu faction of EPRP has a new enemy — an independent Ethiopian publishing company named Tsehai Publishers. Why? Because it has published former president Mengistu Hailemariam’s book.
Iyasu wants to punish Mengistu by copying and distributing the book for free. What he doesn’t care to understand is that Mengistu doesn’t need the few thousands of dollars that the book may generate in royalty. What Mengistu wants is for his book to be read by every one, not the money. But Iyasu’s action will definitely harm Tsehai Publishers, and it will also set a dangerous precedent where other Ethiopian writers, scholars and publishing companies could face a similar threat of bankruptcy.
The interesting thing is that Iyasu and gang are NOT waging the same kind of campaign against the real enemy, such as Bereket Simon, who recently published a book. It is a normal practice for them to always target only innocent Ethiopians. But never Woyanne. Tsehai Publishers is their latest victim.
Elias Wondimu has put his sweat and blood into building Tsehai Publishers from the ground up during the past 15 years. He is one of the hardest working and most decent Ethiopians I know who loves his country. Tsehai Publishers is currently the only successful independent Ethiopian publishing company that has published over 50 books on Ethiopia. Any Ethiopian political leader who claims to fight for the interest of Ethiopia needs to support and nurture such enterprises built by Ethiopians.
I am singling out Iyasu Alemayehu in this case because after talking with some members and supporters of EPRP these past two days, I learned that they have no part in the action. The campaign to bankrupt Tsehai Publishers is being coordinated by Isayu Alemayehu and a small circle of friends. So I don’t want to accuse the whole EPRP of this despicable, criminal act.
It is this kind of destructive behavior by the likes of Isayu Alemaheyu against innocent, hard working Ethiopians that has made our country the poorest in the world. What a shame!
I urge all members of the Ethiopian free press to take a stand against Iyasu’s action and express solidarity with our colleague Elias Wondimu of Tsehai Publishers.
The book can be ordered online. Click here.
106 thoughts on “Iyasu Alemayehu’s latest target: another innocent Ethiopian”
EPRP never be right in thier 40 something years history, alsways playing a game and attacking an individual, EPRP is nothing but DEAD orgainizations, so Elias do not waste your breath…
It is illegal, immoral, irrational and a great shame for whoever scanned the book and made it available for free online. It is good to write such an article in defense of the publisher, but even greater to form a legal and fundraising committee to take the matter into the court of law. All Ethiopians in different walks of life, publishers, producers and artists should stand against this despicale act which, if it is left to repeat itself, kills freedom of expression, innovation and creativity of one’s country. It is a shame “democrat EPRP memers” do this.
@Gerisa, replying to your silly comment is a waste of time. But, I should say once,for the last. Btw…who are you talking your lip about??? If you want to know about me…I am NOT the one escaped, or I am NOT the one hidden under my mother’s dress, fearing to join in the national army. I joined in the N.ARMY at the age of 17, in 1978 E.C. ,quitting my school work at grade 10 from Asella Comp.Sec. School. Though we were unable to see the fruit, I struggled for my country for 5years. I am proud in that!!! So,don’t talk a lip to teach me about the personality of Menge. I used to see him several time in fronts. Ok? Finally Gerisa, what makes me happy is that …I had given a wonderful bullet over the heads of many….many yours like anti-unity bandas and woyyane!…If i were met you in my way now, i would give you a wonderful box over your face too!…So, pls pls stop talking to me. I don’t like talking anti-ethiopian mercemary, and shintam hidden under thier mother’s dress…ok? Bye!
tezibt replies:
January 23rd, 2012 at 4:09 AM
If what you are talking about yourself was true, you would never talk like that. Discipline is the first rule of a good military training. Watch your mouth. Outline your ideas and fight with your ideas.
Anonymous replies:
January 24th, 2012 at 12:47 PM
“Dedeb.” You cannot even write English that is satisfactory. But you call yourself educated. “Denkoro EPRP.” You put comments that are similar in nature on each and every website that deal with this tragic issue. You are not even smart enough to change your user name. “Fesam Aheya,” you must be part of the propaganda machine of that reactionary party called EPRP.
Bubu replies:
January 24th, 2012 at 1:14 PM
Ethioboy!
Are you telling us that you have slaughtered innocent Ethiopians like your master who is squicking like an old rat from somewhere in Zimbabwe? You did it for sure to steal their property or to rape their childeren, not because they were against you. I think you were a member of that facist group called ISEPA, that is responsible for the death, disappearance, reape,etc.of thausends of Ethiopians. By the way Ethioboy, what happened with the weapon you had, when Woyane/Shabia shepardes invaded Addis Abeba? Did you shove up in your a$$? I am really interested to know that. Please respond!
Selam replies:
January 24th, 2012 at 4:30 PM
Ethioa$$!
The blood of those innocent Ethiopians will hunt you and your family down till the end of the world. If it it true what you are bluffing, one day you wiil pay the price even if you hide somewhere like your master.
Gerisa replies:
January 25th, 2012 at 11:40 AM
Ethio-bull!!
Are you trying to bully us from your hideout in Harare or………? I want to tell you that your time is over. You are now the hunted not the hunter. One day I assure you, you will pay the price for the crimes you committed. You think you are free now, but we will make sure that you will pay a heavy price for the blood of innocent Ethiopians you spilled.
A ‘chicken brain’ like you is the one who destroyed the country for 17 long years in the name of revolution, because you lack the brain potential to discuss things with people to solve problems in a civilized manner. I can imagine how many innocent Ethiopians you have killed, because they are over your ‘chicken brain’ capacity?
You used the weapon you mentioned to destroy Ethiopia and Ethiopians, because you couldn’t go far with discussion due to your ‘chicken brain’ capacity. If you are still looking for that weapon, let me tell you that you hid it in your a$$. You might have also used a Russian tank to kill innocent people. I would like to ask you again a simple question. What happened to that Russian tank? As Bubu asked you above, did you shove that too up in your a$$?
Please respond using your ‘chicken brain’. Moron!!!
Think for a second about those young women and men who were cut down in the prim of their lives,those arbegnoch like the 60 digniters slaughtered by Mengistu,those brave Generals who fought for Mother Ethiopia and murderd by that criminal. Think of the wailing of their mothers,the broken homes, the children who were orphnaed. Just remember their blood flowing over to soak the forsts of Yeka, kotobe and many more.Think of the millions of soldiers who lost their lives And now you are defending Mengistu? Tshai publishers sided with the wrong person. Why did he decide to spread the lies of Mengistu?. Surely he wanted to make money. He didn’t give a damn about those innocent Ethiopians. Show some solidarity to the dead,to our myartyrs. Collect money to help their old mothers and fathers , they are still around,licking their wounds,without pension.If their children were not murderd by Mengistu, may be some of them will be in America,living a confortable life like you guys; But they chose to fight for a cause and ideal they belive in. When you rise your fingur against EPRP today,give them the creadit of fighting for the Arso ader before there own interest. How many of you are ready to do that today?you fools. The answer is NONE. That is why woyane is doing without impunity what he is doing to Ethiopia today and tomorrow. You fools, rise against woyane if you have guts.Thousands have died under the banner of EPRP.Fundrising should be for them,not for Elias and company; EPRP did the right thing.
Anonymous replies:
January 23rd, 2012 at 10:18 PM
Belay, for crying out loud, how is a publisher takes side when he help millions of us read the book which captures so many pieces of what has occured in that time? Where else or WHO has given us this opportunity than TSEHAIPUBLISHERS ?? Please don’t rush to point fingers. When Anderson Cooper reports what was happening in
Afghanistan was he taking side? When the movie producer produces
” the last king of Scotland ” was he taking side?? I BETYOUR SORRY ASS HAD NO PROBLEM PAYING AND WATCHING THE MOVIE. Now your own published a book of our own history and all your friends got problem with it!!! Abo yezoachu yehid.
Anonymous replies:
January 24th, 2012 at 1:26 AM
Belay
“Helped millions of us to read” you mean Mengistu’s rubbish? Tsehai publishers DIDN’T Report,just published from the safty of dear LA.Do you compare that to Anderson Cooper? Give me a break! The “Last king of Scotland” shows the barbarity of Edi Amin.Tsehai publishers wanted us to pay 39 dollars for reading Mengistu’s criminal act from the horses’s mouth. You know what? He was still insulting the memory of the people he murdered. No regret,no rmorse,no nothing. And you want people to pay for that? It makes me laugh when Elias Kifle said that Mengistu didn’t benefit from the sell of the book. really? He gave it for free?? He negotiated bloody hell to get the best price,and I am sure Elias wondemu was hoping to get the jack pot. He didn’t do it for us or le nefsu.Any way Derge ESEPa is still alive,we see it all over the pages; Hey guys,fight woyane if you are wondoch, I see only chickens here.
Anonymous replies:
January 24th, 2012 at 2:22 PM
I thank God everyday for making few of you (airheds) when and what is the last book you published? Book is a book and book is holding a story/history or biography. Not what you want to hear or like to hear, if that is the case we wouldn’t be able the truth abour life. You don’t have to agree even you don’t have to buy the book but why HATE? Why? if you don’t like a song you don’t by the CD, that is it!!! I am sure you are one of the confused Ethiopian victimized by DV Lottery. I understand you are lost here and can’t think same level as most educated people around you so what you do is HATE!!
Gerisa replies:
January 26th, 2012 at 11:09 AM
Annonymes!
Just one question! Who wrote “The Last King of Scotland”? Idi Amin himself? Or sombody else who knows Idi Amin? If so there is a big difference between the two. If a historian had written Shasho’s history, we could have used the book as a teaching material in schools, but with this one, the late (becaus he is brain dead)colonel tried to put lipstick on a black pig. But the pig remained a pig. This way or the other the money coming from the sale of this book is a “BLOOD MONEY” period.
Anonymous replies:
January 26th, 2012 at 6:53 PM
I am sure you believe you wrote somthing right? you make NO sense please take yourself out of this, obviously you have NO clue what you are talking about. you missed the boat (algebahem. If a person recall and write what happend in those difficult 17 years, you think he has NO brain. if he has NO brain, what does that make you???? I am not saying you should agree or like what he has done but to accuse of brain absence –i am not sure. Please think a bit more on this.
thank you
The only skill on which EPRP seems adept is sabotaging. The only part of EPRP that is still functioning seems its sabotaging and “oota” committee. Look at the “oota,” that remnants of EPRP, including Iyasu, are making here.
Anonymous ,
make no mistake about this you are ABIYOTAWI SEDED in dis guise here.
EPRP = “Yetarik Atela.” By the way, do you know the first name of “Shabia”? It was EPRP. In fact, in their case, “E” stands for Eritrea. Then, “Shabia” gave its name to its bastard child.