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Ethiopian Review’s Person of the Year in 2008

Posted on , Updated on by Elias Kifle

Ethiopian Review’s 2008 Person of the Year will be announced on January 1, 2009. The decision has been made after taking readers’ suggestions into careful considerations. Stay tuned.

In keeping with its annual tradition, Ethiopian Review will soon announce The 2008 Person of the Year. Last year, we left it to readers to make the choice, and you chose Prof. Alemayehu Gebremariam.

This year the decision will be made by the Ethiopian Review editorial group, but we would like to hear your suggestions.

The selection is based on who made the most significant contribution for the betterment of Ethiopia in the past 12 months.

We accept nominations and suggestions. Please include explanations for your selection.

200 thoughts on “Ethiopian Review’s Person of the Year in 2008”

  2. Here are my nominations:

    1. Kenenisa Bekele and Tirunesh Dibaba for making Ethiopia proud during the olympics.
    2. Berhanu Nega for keeping the struggle alive by not giving his hands to the ethno-fascist woyannes.
    3. Somali insurgents for crushing the etno-fascists woyannes

  5. President Issaise Afewerki of Eritrea for giving support for all Ethiopian opposition movements that strive to take emeye ethiopia from the jaw f those Tigrayan tyrants!

  6. Prof. Mesfin W/Mariam (Human Rights).
    Prof. Almayehu G/Mariam (Human Rights).
    Prof. Adugna Worku (Artist).
    Dr. Berhanu Nega (economist).
    Mr. Obange Matho (Human Rights).
    Mrs. Meron Ahadu (Human Rights).
    W/t Birtukan Midekssa (CUD-Andnet).
    Mr. Kenenisa Bekele (Sport).
    Mr. Abreham Belai (Ethiomedia).
    Mr. Elias Kifle (Ethiopian Review).
    Mr. Abebe Belew (Journalist).
    Mr. Tamagne Beyene (Artist).
    Mr. Teddy Afro (Mendella of Ethiopian Artist).

    Organizations:
    Ethiopian Curent Affair discussion Forum (Chat room).
    FUSTULA Hospital (NGO Hospital).
    Network of Ethiopian Scholars (NES).
    ESFNA (Sport Association).
    VOA (Media).
    Deutsche Welle (Media).
    ETN (Media).

  8. The best person of the year, and ofcourse of all time, has got to be the mother of Elias Kifle; because she gave us Elias.
    Ato Elias: I know you may not be comfortable to consider your self for candidacy, but let me justify my pick.
    Elias Kifle has enormous qualities:
    -he is unfaltering in exposing all evel deeds of woyane
    -he is energetic and persistent (remember his email exchange with washington post)
    -he has the audacity to stand against anyone, anytime, anywhere, under any condition if it is for good of Ethiopia (he was the first person to stand against the divisive and totalitarian approach of Hailu Shawl, inaddition he was the only one who dares to speak to Lidetu Ayalew and ask him to get to line while all other media simply isolate him)

    Bravo Elias!!!!

  9. No doubt the chairman of EPPF is the man of the year. But some it is hard to swallow…as fighting for freedom is hard for them. For me too. But he is more than writer. I prefer Birhanu Nega.

  11. The Eritrean President Issias Afeweki for his courageous stand in the fight for the liberation of the the Ethiopian and Somali people and for being a torn on the side of the Agazzi Tribal Junta.

  13. How about YOU, Elias Kifle. Even though sometimes you go a little too far and a little bold You have stayed the course by challenging the Melese regime. I hope you will be “the one.”

  15. I nominate the President of Eritrea, Ato Isaias afwerki , who has singlehandedly withstood some unbelievable opposition and tremendous unveiled and some veiled threats from the US and its various allies in a futile attempt to succumb to their wishes and desires. Some of the open secret wishes of the US are that Eritrea should not give sanctuary for any Ethiopian opposition forces and that Eritrea should refrain from “Supporting” the fighting forces in Somalia. Their self serving request was quickly followed up by a media blitz to demonize and isolate Eritrea and to significantly increase military “Assistance” to the Weyane regime in spite of the latter’s dismal record on human rights. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out how difficult of a burden was on the person of president Isaias when some Eritreans [and some party members] were saying “Why don’t we kick out the Ethiopians when we know they never stood with us when Weyane unleashed the so called Badme war”? Some even went as far as stating that the “Ethiopians did not sympathize with our people when successive Ethiopian regimes were bombing wholesale villages killing many innocent civilian population including the elderly, women and children” etc. To his credit, the man stood by his principle stating that “Our enmity has never been with the Ethiopian people but with their selfish and greedy rulers”. He does this at the expense of being labeled all sorts of unflattering insults – including the threat of “terrorist sponsoring state”. To me, that is something worth recognizing for credit as they say “Give credit where credit is due”!

  16. 1. Birtukan Medksa for revitalizing the political movement–thereby cornering Zenawi to the point that foreign diplomats admit the political space in Ethiopia is narrowed down.

    2. Birhanu Nega, for mounting the pressure on TPLF to be forced to open the room for the upheaval of peacefull political struggle, however, slim.

  17. 1 teddy afro becouse he loves ethiopia we find him in weyane jail lets fight all of us to free tedyy
    2 berhanu nega for forming a formidable party which is ginbot 7
    3 bitukan medeksa for fighting weyane in his camp

  20. 1 Berehanu Nega(Dr)- for his strength and strong stand of the struggle, despite he’s educated and come from rich family.
    2 Alemayehu Gebremariam(Pr)- for his consistent effort to expose the facist woyane regime.
    3 Tedy Afro- for his sacrifice and strength

  22. Professor,Seid Hassen for his wonderfull articles of current situation of ethiopia.Second for each induvidal who fight woyanne in ethiopia with the means they have.Thanks ER

  23. 1.Meles Zenawi
    Because I feel that he is the best politician in africa
    (Remember Every where in Africa there still exists a problem and everyone in africa is againest the leading party…No matter who)

    2.Birhanu Nega
    Simple……….Because he loves Ethiopia

    3.EthiopianReview manager………..information

  28. Abebe belew must be the man of the year.because the way he
    prepared news is free and fair which means no bise.at the same time,he negotaiate with different poletical parity to became together and fighte with the enemy of weyanne.in addition,i strongly suggested that,he desrve the man of the year no matter what.
    long life for abebe belew.
    God bless abebe belew.

  33. Issayas Afeworki For giving Meles a head ache in Somalya, Inside Ethiopia and in outsiden No one is helping the pathriotic Ethiopian fighters (EPPF,OLF etc) Except Issayas so he deserves it.

  35. For a pragmatic and cool headed person who is yearning for democracy and the rule of law to prevail in mother Ethiopia, the choice for the Person of the Year leads only to one person – LIDETU AYALEW.

  37. 1) Dr. Birhanu Nega: because he is polite, respectfull and modern poletician who believe in democracy & rule of law.
    2) Artist Tewodros Kassahun: he is a young, unique & talented guy who loves his country more than anything (who respect his fellow ethiopians more than alamundi money) who is langushing in kalitiy b/c only he loves Ethiopia more than those hodam bokibuaka zefagnoch.
    3) Ato Abebe Belew: Abe is a nice (yechewalij) journalist who respect his fellows and do what ever required for the betterment of mama Ethiopia

  40. Hi Elias
    I suppose who deserve Ethiopian heroic:
    1. EPPF chairman, Me’azaw Getu
    2.Alemayehu Gebremariam(Pr)
    3.Berehanu Nega(Dr)
    4.Tedy Afro
    5. president Esayas Aferki( Ethiopians true friend )

  42. Teddy Afro is man of the year for exposing TPLF beyond shred of doubt that this regime stands for Theft, Piracy, Lust and Fake since it came to power eighteen years ago.

    TPLF’s first target was professor Asrat and he died as a result of False and Fake accusation for defending the defenseless Amharas that were thrown from the top of the cliffs by TPLF collaborators.

    Young Teddy Afro himself became a victim of TPLF for calling and praising Ethiopian unity for which professor/father Asrat gave his life. Currently he is languishing in jail,to break his spirit and force him to sign the Fake letter of guilt and ask Queen Azeb Mesfin for forgiveness.

    Teddy Afro is the son of Ethiopia who is the role model of our young generations and deserves to be man of the year. Diaspora Ethiopians should rally, honor him and demand for his release immediately as we have been doing since his illegal detentions in the name of fake justice of TPLF.

  44. basically we must look what kind of strugle do we need? in the past we tried by peacefull it did’t work most trusted leaders become traders,some split in to three,that also affect the moral of ethiopian out side and inside there for the final solution must also be in the first place was arm strugle and bringing all the ethiopian ethnics together for one goal that i call it EPPF and essayas.

  45. I would not mind with Prof. Al Mariam, since he continously struggle against the weyane regime, but I would say

    Dr. Birhanu since he didn’t give up easily and chosen to find another alternative to bring democracy along with the other strong members of G7,

    Well, the leaders of UDJ will also desreve it since they are also striving to bring the best for thier country, with all the harassment from weyane in a daily manner.

    But I have also to mention the worest person who is Hailu shawel and his idiot forein ministers EPRP destructive elements.

    while we all have to keep the weyane criminal group which deserves a death penality.

  46. Dr Berhanu Nega:
    Speaking out clearly the very fact that TPLF will never and ever leave power under fair and democratic elections. He has been making it clear to those who have not understand the evil nature of TPLF. I do not think that any of the rest of us has contributed as much as he did

  48. You must be man of the year for being the nightmare of woyannes, headache of oppositions, doubt and confusion of Eritreans whether to believe you or not, and you certainly are angel of the somalians, demon of Abune Paulos, voice of the diaspora, Birtukan Mideksa’s fantasy of quality time and Dr. Birhanu’s newly assembled right hand.

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