It’s been a long-held tradition of Ethiopian Review to choose “Person of the Year.” The person who is selected by Ethiopian Review’s publisher, in consultation with associates and readers of the journal, is believed to have contributed the most to the betterment of Ethiopia in the past 12 months.
For the year 2008, Ethiopian Review has selected President Issayas Afeworki of Eritrea as “Person of the Year.”
The choice was an easy one. But it is expected to create a great deal of controversy because of a relentless propaganda campaign that the tribalist regime in Ethiopia, the Tigray People Liberation Front (Woyanne), has been waging to make sure that relations between Ethiopians and Eritreans will NOT develop and improve. It’s the same tactic that Woyanne uses inside Ethiopia and through out the Horn of Africa region to turn people against each other.
The Woyanne propaganda has been effective only to a certain extent. Through an aggressive counter campaign by the media from both the Ethiopian and the Eritrean sides, such as Ethiopian Review and EriTV, as well as the Eritrean government’s tireless effort, a great deal of improvements have been made in improving the relationship between the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea. This has been a nightmare for Meles Zenawi’s Woyanne, as well as those tribalists such as the Siye Abraha group that strive take over power after Meles is gone.
The person who is leading and putting the resources of his government behind the effort to create friendship and lasting peace among not only Eritreans and Ethiopians, but all people of the Horn of Africa is Issayas Afeworki.
Under President Issayas’ leadership, Eritrea has opened up its doors to Ethiopians who are fleeing Meles Zenawi’s bloodsucking dictatorship. There is no country in the world, perhaps with the exception of the U.S., where the rights and freedom of Ethiopian refugees have been fully respected and protected as much as Eritrea.
Freedom fighters such as EPPF, OLF, ONLF, TPDM and others are given shelters in Eritrea so that their wounded receive treatments and their leaders hold meetings unmolested by Woyanne agents, thanks to President Issayas. These freedom fighters are gaining ground every day and will succeed in removing the Woyanne cancer from the Horn of Africa. Only then Ethiopia’s unity can be saved, and a lasting peace in the Horn of Africa region will prevail. The humiliating defeat of Woyanne in Somalia — brilliantly masterminded by Issayas Afeworki — is a major step toward that goal.
While Woyanne-controlled radio and TV programs transmit daily barrages of propaganda that promote ethnic division, under the sponsorship of the Eritrean government, EriTV and Eritrean Radio are aggressively promoting Ethiopian unity — despite the tens of millions of dollars Woyannes spends to jam them. Issayas Afeworki has also authorized a publication named ‘One Ethiopia’ for the purpose of countering Woyanne’s anti-Ethiopia propaganda.
Why would Issayas Afeworki and his government want to help Ethiopian freedom fighters to free our country from the Woyanne cancer?
1) Between 1998 and 2000, Meles & gang have carried out a massive ethnic cleansing campaign against Eritreans. During this campaign, over 500,000 Eritreans, most of whom were born and raised in Ethiopia, had been stripped of all their properties and expelled from Ethiopia. Their homes and other properties were distributed among Woyanne officials and members. Because of forced family separations, it is estimated that close to 1 million Eritreans are affected by the Woyanne ethnic cleansing campaign. The ethnic cleansing that Meles, Seye & gang had carried out against Eritreans is a crime against humanity by any standard, which the United Nations has completely ignored. Getting justice for these Eritrean victims of ethnic cleansing alone is a good motivation for the Eritrean government to help Ethiopian freedom fighters eliminate Woyanne.
2) Eritreans are well aware that the endless ethnic and religious conflicts that the Woyanne regime is instigating in Ethiopia will continue to keep them in a perpetual state of war. They have seen it first hand how monstrous evil Woyannes are. Eritreans have suffered more during the Woyanne regime than through all the wars during the Derg regime. Currently, Woyanne has created a transitional Eritrean government based in Mekelle and is arming and training over 20,000 mercenaries. It is preparing to invade Eritrea and put a puppet regime in Asmara as it tried to do in Somalia. Getting rid of Woyanne, in collaboration with Ethiopian freedom fighters, is a matter of survival for Eritreans, not a just a kind favor for Ethiopia.
The reason why Woyannes have turned their backs on Eritreans after the Eritrean People Liberation Front helped them come to power is more psychological than any thing else. By nature, Woyannes are ravenously greedy (like hyenas), and more importantly, they suffer from chronic inferiority complex. That’s why they are extremely violent and ready to flex their muscle over every little disagreement.
For Ethiopian freedom fighters to fight and successfully defeat the Woyanne mafia, cooperation with Eritrea’s government is necessary. Those Ethiopian opposition leaders who have understood this fact have been doing that for a while now and in the past few months a great deal of progress has been made.
It is not an easy task to defeat Woyanne. Because unlike in Somalia, there are too many fake opposition figures in Ethiopia that create confusion. The only genuine Ethiopian opposition groups at this time are those that are shooting or ready to shoot real bullets at Woyanne.
For those who are able to see through the smoke that Woyanne propagandists are producing, it is easy to arrive at the same conclusion that Ethiopian Review has reached that Issayas Afeworki has contributed the most to the fight to remove the cancer that is eating away at Ethiopia in the past 12 months. President Issayas has been able to throw out of whack the Woyanne master plan of creating ‘Greater Tigray’ and fragmenting Ethiopia into 8 small countries with their own puppet regimes serving the ‘golden race.’
The visceral hate toward the publisher of Ethiopian Review by not only Woyanne, but also those who want to remove Meles but keep Woyanne in power, is caused by the knowledge that Ethiopian Review is succeeding in exposing their tribalist agenda. The selection of President Isayas Afeworki of Eritrea by the #1 Ethiopian journal will surely drive them more insane than they already are.
Let 2009 bring freedom and peace to Ethiopia and all the people of the Horn of Africa.
112 thoughts on “Ethiopian Review’s “The 2008 Person of the Year””
wow, what i can i say your an honest man. it takes a man to stand up for what you belive in. and you sure are right issaya should be the man of the year.
the President is working hard to bring peace in the horn of africa. he is one of a kind. we all know by now that he is not a sell out. if we all can look back to what he said about somalia, before meles go in to somal..everything issayas was saying is now somming to light. he is a man who stand for what he belive.
my peace come between the ppl of eritrea and ethiopia.
and if we all fallow his foot step there is no doubt that we will succeed.
keep up the good work Ethiopian Review’s .
Dear Elias,
You gave me hope for the first time, in a long time. I now have a high hope that one day, both ppl will be friends again. I admire your honesty, knowing this will be controversial and you might even get a lot of criticism. But that is what leadership is, and that is why I agree with you choice 100%. I don’t agree with Isayas on some issues, but with out any doubt, he is one of the most courageous leader in Africa today, and he tells it like it is, whether you are super power or not super power. All he wants is that ppl of Africa are given a chance to make their own destiny, without any external interference, failed or succeed.
Just like you and Isayas, I wish we have more African Leaders who are honest and can tell the truth regardless of the consequences.
Thanks for teaching us to be honest and objective, not emotional.
Happy New Year for you, your family and the PPL of eri and ethio.
I love my president Isaias Afeworki and trust him in my life. I agree that he has done more to Ethiopians to free themselves from TPLF gangster. But as Wedi Afom said it is the responsibility of our brothers and sisters of the people of Somalia (Ethiopian) to put their house under order.
To those who went to know about my president Wedi Afom, watch this short clip of of Wedi Afom observing and making sure that Eritreas self reliance policy became reality. Eating and drinking with his people. Wedi Afom is not only ERs man of 2008, but Eritreans beloved son forever.
http://www.eastafro.com/Post/2008/11/25/video-president-isaiass-inspection-tour-of-gerset-fanko-dams-nov-24-2008/
Yes,Issaias is better for the people of the Horn than the rest of the leaders.Meles should be in jail and the Hague for his crimes against the peoples in Somalia and Ethiopia.Atleast Issaias didn`t sell his soul and his young soldiers for money.Keep up the good work Elias!
Somalis thank Elias and Isaias.Two brave men who confronted this devil Meles and his TPLF Agenda.President Isaias Afework is a true friend of the Somali people.May the new year bring peace to our people in the HOrn
Elias along with the overwhelming majority of the commentators regarding the selection of President Isaias Afeworki as the ER person of the year, I too congratulate you for the courageous choice. As we recall, the Eritreans did not go on the revenge after winning the war of indpendence and prevented the woyanes from murdering hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians for their role in the Mengistu regime. Inspite of being betrayed by the ungrateful, short sighted and savages in power in Ethiopia, still maintained a principled stand by advocating for the unity of Ethiopia. All i can say is thank you for your courage and most appropriate choice.
The Ethiopian cyber world is starting to reverberate as the sound of this historic and courageous principled selection by the ER team. For far too long we have been blinded by cheap Woyanne propaganda and by some opportunist elites who toy with our emotions for their own financial and political gains.
If history is our guide, there are times where some individuals rise to the occasion and make history and ER’s action today is one of those moments in history. Now, that the door is wide open, the Eritrean and Ethiopian peoples should move forward together as partners. For the Tribal Junta it may be hard to decipher it, but what is good for Ethiopia is good for Eritrea too and vice versa.
May God bless President Isayas Afeworki and the heroic people of Eritrea and goodwill to the long suffering, proud people of Ethipia. May the innocent victims of the regime in Addis Abeba, the people of Somalia, find peace. If we all follow the examples set by the editor of ER and and the unwavering resolve of Isayas to speak truth to power, the potential for peace and prosperity in the entire region of the Horn is easy to imagine and realize as we are poised to tackle the challenges ahead. We have a well endowed, combined arsenel of talent, resourcefullness and a burning desire to see our people live in peace if we decide to put our differences aside and work toward the common good. One condition for this to work is that we have to agree to be honest. No hidden agendas, no tricks. These are the very insidious instruments that the Woyane and it’s handlers have been using against the people of the Horn for too long. The outcomes have beeen disasterous. We need new imaginative and positive approaches for the new century.
May the new year bring peace and harmony to all the peoples of the Horn of Africa.
Thanks elias for choosing the right person. Despite setback from international media and communities Isayas will continue to be an icon for those who love truth and freedom.
If i could, i would reward Nobel prize for the man who has vision Africa to be freed from neocolonialist. Sadly in the name of free media and democracy African people paying the price through beggars African leaders who only filled their stomach for their individual. The only person who foiled the western conspiracy is Isayas.
Long live Isyayas and happy new year!!
I would like to thank you also for elias and his colleagues for ur determination for truth!!
Elias eventough ELF and Esayias are the one who back upp woyane I have great respect to Esayiasfor his commitment to his aim,people and contury.Especially for not serving America like Meles .He is realy a hero over Derg and now America. I have great hope that he can do something against Meles in the near future
Elias what a courgous selection. I admire and appald your thoughtfullness. You are one hell of a man. I did not expect the selection but it was one worth to mention and take on board. You play the game ahead of anybody else.Go MAN!! You are real ETHIOPIAN!!!! We need one more like you.
God bless you and bless Ethiopia!
Yes we do love our president no doubt!!like we love our Eritrea. We wish all of you Ethiopians elect a true leader you respect and love too.
Everyone has realized that the TPLF’s are the evil of the Horn of Africa. They think they can sit in power by simply manupilating ethnical differences and divisions, which is an old European colonial type of game that doesn’t work this time of the day.
Yes it is true that we fought Col.Mengistus Marxist regime to bring about change to all of us, given ours need being our independence or to govern ourselves, and that Ethiopia brings about lasting peace and democracy to all. Slowly but surely we saw Tamerat Layne going to jail and the war with us, the cracking down of OLF/ONEG leaders and the Somalian issue, yes all Horn of Africa must support and bring about poverity and hostillity to the curve and challenge the world with mutual respect.
Let’s change and respect our needs, one for all and all for one!
To all Ethio-Eri, Somalis, Djoubitis, Sudan, and other horn of Africa region, if we are to survive the 21st century we must unite against our common enemy that had been destroying our region for so many centuries; and those enemies of our region and people are, 1- ignoranse, 2- luck of leadership, 3- mistrust, 4- outside interferense, 5- luck of respect, 6- the brain-drain, 7- luck of wisdom/education, and lastly, 8- slave mentality. There is no doubt Ethio-Eri relationship should never have taken the shape it is in right now; we are not much of different people, culture, belief but a minor of differenses; and in my humble opinion I will say those differeses were created mostly by outsiders which took Eritreans to take matters into their own hands when provoked. When we all thought let the by gones- be- by- gones look who is taken the people of Ethio-Eri back to the feature, look who is ticking the clock backwards, look who is using the old divide and rule mechanism that used by the enemies of our region, look who is back stabbing who, look who wants revenge and avenge for the new generation: IT IS NOTHING BUT THE WEYANE LEADERSHIP LED BY LEGESSE Z., HIS AND HIS MASTERS FOR LIFE ERITREAN TRAITORS. INORDER TO HAVE PEACE AND FOCUS TO 21ST CENTURY WEYANES AND THEIR MISSION MUST BE ERADICATED FROM THE FACE OF THE PLANET! PEACE TO ALL OF US!
Dear Ethiopian Review,
We need people like you who advocate for the truth.
President Isaias stands for:
1) The Unity of Eritrea
2) The Unity of Ethiopian, assisted the Ethiopian revolution againts all odds ( Emperial gov. of Haile Sellasie, Derg , and now aginst the traitors Weyane, who tried to stay in Tigray only and not to advance to the rest of Etiopia and get rid the Derg in 1991 after they freed Tigrai. It was only because of the now Presidet Isaias Afeworki´s great effort that they advanced to Addis Abeba.)
3) Peace and stability of the Horn of Africa by the people of the region and without intevation of foreig forces.
4) Believes on dependence of his people in all aspectes, political, economical and socialy.
5) Respects the rule of law. With Yemen de obeyed the werdig of arbitration and with Etiopian the ruling of the international tribun.
We the people of Eritrea wish you all Ethiopian Brothers nad Sisters Happy new year and may peace prevail in Ethiopa, Eritrea and the whole Horn of Africa.
Elias wandimachin.
Are you sure you chose this decision wisely?
This man, Isayas Afoworki, has and always will be apart of the destruction of Ethiopia.
He supports organizations that hate Ethiopia.
Meles and Isayas are both equally the enemies for the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea.
If Isayas was truly open for Ethiopia TELL HIM TO HAVE A SPEECH IN AMHARIC praising the great Ethiopia and Ethiopian nation.
That will be a big way to see his support
I travel a lot for business. One strking fact that never fails to amaze me is how Ethiopians or Eritreans will ALWAYS try to go out of their way to help ANY “habesha” person specialy in the hospitality businesses such as hotels, rentals, restaurants, resorts, hospitals, airlines, parking, you name it. Yet another proof that Ethiopians and Eritreans just want to live in harmony! Down with Woyane and those propping it up.
I remember Elias Kifle’s interview with ITN in May 24, 2008. When Hillary Clinton seemed to be edging in all the polls against Barrak Obama, Elias correctly predicted that Obama would win the democratic presidential race, much to the chagrin of ITN’s Gizaw “Chalabi” Legesse. Gizaw threatened to mock and embarrass him if Hillary won instead. Elias stood his ground, was true to his assessment and excellent judgment, which has served him well throughout the years. This is unlike many Ethiopian “intellectuals”, including butcher Meles who cannot stand behind what they said the previous day.
The Eritrean president is not a perfect leader but compare him to the other African leaders he always stand for the truth. He needs to give his people freedom as much as the people of Eritrea love him. Meles and Isayas have been in power for almost 17 years. Mengstu was in power for 17 years but he ends up in forigne country for the rest of his life. I think the time is coming to these leaders if they do not want to share the power with the people they may end up in Libya or USA.
We need people like you Elias
President Issayas is the only leader in the horn of Africa who tells it like it is. I admire you.
Happy New Year for you and your family.
Yonas you said
“Dear Editor,
Well, i respect the personal judgement of individuals whatever his/her way of relegious, economical, cultural or poletical thinking is… However, there is somehting that makes a society better than a society… the one that strives for truth and judges a thing based on a tangible reasoning gets itself better off than the other one that lags behind… It has become clear that the struggle for justice in Ethiopia should be accompanied by all options at stake .. and i do also believe that Eritrea can have a paramount role for the Ethiopian struggle gets nearer to its goal..However, comparing personalities for best contribution to the nations is far more than picking just an individual… it should be supported by acceptable reasoning even for ordinary/ average mind… there are many many many Ethiopians that have contributed too much that is extraordinary for ordinary citizens even to think….Honestly, i felt shame reading that the Eritrean president is person of the year (that you claim the selection is based on the contribution one has made for the betterment of Ethiopia). Shame on You!”
thank you very much brother i can’t say it any better.
first of all merry Xmas and happy new year to you and your family.
your are the only Ethiopian Website publisher with right poltitical ambition to change the woyane regime from power. president isias is the best thing it can happen to Ethiopia because in his history he never double crossed you that is for sure he said what he means, what you see is what you get . again the choice is excellent Elias
He deserve it ..i am sure he will be glad to find out …he is going to lead this country to a better place …he will be the only true African leader who fought for a better Africa …we love him and long live Essayas
I can say,President Issayas Afwerki is a good person and he contribute many things that is very important to both countries Eritrea and Ethiopea.So we have a great role to do support the system of this president.Wish peace and developement to both country.
This is a masterpiece political writing. It is Lincolnesque. I predict that it will be in the history books of Ethiopia for generations to come as a piece of writing that has shattered the wall between Ethiopians and Eritreas by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front and its puppet-masters. Great job, ER!
Wow Finally some one who can understand the truth. Yes Issayas is the man of the horn of Africa.He has been fighting for freedon all his life and we need to have some one like him who doesnt sell himself.Long live people of Africa.
Legesse Zenawi and Bereket gave us some thing to talk about by arresting Birtukan. Ethiopian Review came back at them by naming Isaias Afeworki as man of the year. Now every body is talking about this. And the Adwa mafia is getting a heart burn on the first day of 2009! I am not Afeworki’s fan, but this is just great.
Yes indeed ….he is the man
Well, for us Eritreans and many Ethiopians, as we can see it from the comments, it was/is clear all along that Isayas Afowerki stands always for the truth. A selfless leader in par with Mandela and Ghandi– The only difference is that Isayas does not give his left chick when slapped in the right chick. As for ER team, you are courageus to tell the truth– real students of Isayas. We need you and Isayas if we are to have our dignity intact before the sellout woyannes and the likes degrade the pride of the peaple in the Horn.
Elias you are great, and I totally agree with you, I doin’t have to like Isaias,but his full support to our fighters is appreciate. I would like also to agree with one of the commentator, you are the person of the year and continue the good work.
Hi 1st thanxxxx 2 Eth– Review /// H.E Pres–ISAISE //Wdi Afom// The lion of Nakfa// We proud of u we love u emmmewa// n Long live to Eritrean n Ethiopian ppl peace be with u all
It’s really,really a good selection. Isayas afework of eriterea has to be the man of the year. Elias kifle; I realized now that you are a honest Jornalist!! History will remember you. You made a right selection. We understand,Ato Isayas is a true friend of Ethiopian.We are ready to fight with these arrogant Hayenas to Re-establish our unity;to bring back Ethiopianism!! The History of our brave,patriotic fathers should NOT be spoiled with the act of diz “kimalam woyanne”. Any ways thanks to Ato Eliias Kifle for recognizing Ato Isayas Afework as a man ,and a true friend of Ethiopian. Last but not least for Ato Isayas and all leaders of EPPF,OLF,ONLF; please,please Just Ignite the war,then we will show you how to punish “buchilas”of woyanne the so called Federal, Dehninet, gazi…..Thanks!
The Ethiopian review has chosen the right person who has been fighting for peace friendship tranquility of the whole fraternal people of the horn of Africa. so president Issayas has been deserving for the person of the year.
Well First of all Happy New Year to all Eritrean and Ethiopians. I agree with the selection Man of the year. He is a leader with a vision and he doesn’t believe in kneeling down for freedom . Eritrean knew and fought for decade with his leardship all race ,religion and ethick eritrea inside and outside the country. What the ethiopian needes to do togheter united to support morally ,fanicaiclly to the freedom fighters and Remember the figthers are giving up thier live so that the rest of ethiopian can leave peacfully.
Lastly ,Let me give you short history… when eritrean rebel liberated Eritrea…eritrean people gave and help DERGE troops freely with harming and send them to Sudan for Redcross. We love to see ethiopia under smart leardership none ethinicaly learderership and with vision on self reliance just like Eritrean President.
VIVA Eritrean and VIVA Ethiopia
Selam,today I feel good to hear my Ethiopian friends to accept
the true fact who President Issayas is? A person like him comes once in a blue moon.I have only a simple question to my Ethiopian friends why do not you invite him to speak infront of you and question him who he is? Does he believe in Ehtiopia unity? What will be the future stand between Ethiopia and Eritrea will be? Then you will get the right answer from my hero.We Eritrean’s fought for 30 years for our independence. No human gave us our freedom except the men and women who gave their lives. And against all odds we got
our independence. That does not make us not to be friends to our Ethiopian neighbors. We can live peacefully and helping each other side by side and protect other outside enemies.
We are not Arabs we are pure black Africans, we are not looking for identity because we are Eritrean’s.
This is my first time to your review and I hope I will vist it if we can give a rich ideas and learn from each other.
Thank you very much and I hope 2009 will bring peace in the two nations.
Iseyas told the woyanes the reginalism and federal government on the base of race don’t work for the Ethiopian reality befor the woyanes come to power. The ferst problem with eritrea was this also befor the border isue. Isayas always was for the unity of Ethiopia since it is for the benefit of the region economicaly politicaly and ever lasting peace but the woyanes since their start was for the great tiray not for great ethiopia so as an Ethiopian now I agree with the selection of Isayas afworki as a man of the year even he predict in advance that the woyanes are aganist the unity of ethiopia
those who do not have anything for themselves…
how can they give …to other?
plz let us base our arguments in reality …
so that we can say we give witness for for see and heard with
our own intelligence. let us not listen for others.. and imitate them specially for bad examples. like….
Meles would not like at all to see Ethiopian people and Eritrea people live peacefull side by side. The reason is simple, in order to be a hero and true Ethiopian in Ethiopian eyes he has to wage continues war and hate against Eritreans or among Ethiopian. Ethioreview your courage, vision and maturity is clear. Eventually, I am sure the two sisterly neighbors who have a lot in common would gain a lot if they break the old hate and start a new chapter which needs a courage and wisdom.
Victory to the gallant EPPF fighters who are fighting against weyane for peace and democracy.
I agree on this selection regardless of the critrea if and oly if Essayas Afewerki is Ethiopian natioalist.
Elias I think this is the way forward to Ethio-Eritrean relation, In 1991 my thought was that Issaias would be ethio eritrean president but he didnt realise this concealed by woyane.Now it is time to look forward to live in a harmony with our brothers.
Eritreans are the most lucky people to have an intelligent, visionary and most of all uncorrrupted leader. Personally I have followed this man for many years and as ethiopian I dislike him but at the same time I admire him so much and always wish to have some one like him who Is so nationalist who cares so much about his nation and people. If we had a leader like him, with all natural resource we have, Ethiopia would be a bread basket and a richest and powerful nation in Africa. But unfortunately we are the most unlucky people in the planet. The president speak many languages such as tigrina, tigre, Arabic, Italian, English and including amharic. So elias, pls lead all our jornalist and invite the president for interview with our jornalist and we strive to know the fact and the truth from this man of the year.
Victory to people of Ethiopia!!
Mr. Elians point well taken. I am an Eritrean. I have some problems with President Isaias. However, he does things that are very important for Eritrea and our reign. I am certain that he does not have an ill wish toward Ethiopia. As Mr. Elias perfectly put it he is helping the Ethiopian freedom fighters as much as he can. He is doing is not because to see Ethiopia divided, but with intention and determination one day there will be true Ethiopia leaders who want to create a good friendship with its people and its neighbors, also I have to be candid in here, he does not want to see any less then the Ethiopian people the woyane gang to stay in power.
I personally wish to see one day we can work together for greater achievement. I agree with one of the Eritrean commentator, who mentioned to invite the president. The only why to assure to some of the skeptical fellow Ethiopia brothers and sisters about the leadership of Isaias is to interview the Presidne and ask him questions about our reign in general and bout Ethiopia in particular. Therefore, I advice you, Mr. Elias, one day to interview the President.
Most importantly, I must argue all patriotic Ethiopian brothers and sisters who wish to see free and developed Ethiopia, it is your national duty to help your freedom fighters financially and morally. It is the only way to get ride of oppressors and enable the fighter to march to victory.
Thank you,
Victory to the fighters and the people of Ethiopia.
Elias,
If your intent was to stick to Woyanes by nominating Essayas as a man of the year; I am sure it has worked. Naming Essayas a man of the year is not the problem I have with you- even Hitler was man of the year of time magazine in 1939. But it is the content of your article upset me so much. You have disappointed me and many true Ethiopians. Essayas is not a saint as you make him out to be. Essayas and Meles are one and the same. These two men are one of many reasons Ethiopia held backwards from developing. Essayas and Meles have bitten the very hand that fed them. They were educated by Ethiopian tax payers. Essayas fought all his life to separate from Ethiopia and got it. And now you want to tell us that he is working hard to unite Ethiopia —PLEASE!! Do no try to fool us. Many poor Ethiopian soldiers have died fighting these two evils.
The best thing that happened to Ethiopia is that these two devils are not getting along anymore. God forbid if these two cousins were getting along, I wonder what worse
thing could have happened to Ethiopia. The only reason Essayas is helping the opposition group is because of his hate towards his cousin Meles.
okay ! these is a bizarre that all the above 84 comments
given are a creating confusion on us.you people from
eritrea we know u that u are trying to convince us that esayas the authocratic leader in africa is a person of the
year this is really ridiculus both esayas and meles has
leading the country to entortos. you fool thugs. don’t you
feel ashamed of yourself on trying to put such thing deep
in to our mind.how on earth esayas would be a person of the
year what things he brought to the destitute people of eritrea. shame on u……..
I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO SAY OF YOUR PERSON OF THE YEAR IN 2008. the problem is most of the ethiopian people doesn/t trust president issayas. the answer is not a mystry. he was the architect to put woyanne at menelik palace.
president issayas may be smart and a hero, but that is only for eritrea not ethiopia.issayas supporting oppostions or willing to help to get rid of woyanne,,realy just for ethipian people? is this b/s he is so concerned about the ethipian people or he just hates woyanne. it is obvious,,no body misses this.
it is only because meles is a rogue kid. he just wanted to punish him.that is all. if for some reason meles appologizes him and they make peace,,the next day he will close all oppositions offices. u see,,there is no way issayas can prove he realy mean it. elias, i guess u are not naive and u know that too. i have more respect and admiration for issays,great for his own country. unlike,meles dividing people in ethnic line,,working day and night to destroy the country,,we ethiopians are so unlucky.but,whatever it takes,,one day we will be free.
I like the fact that the people of ER are open minded and suprised everyone with the person of the year.
I’m eritrean myself and my only wish is for us ethiopans and eritreans to live in harmony and in peace.
Look at europe who went through the whole 2nd world war, if they can do it why can’t we?
Africans should work together for a better future and get rid of all the hate and blaming. Remember the white men will never see a diffrence between an eri and ethi, so why all the conflicts? We as africans should think better than the rest of the world and start making progress instead of making war. Because no one will help us cleaning up the mess. We are the next the generation and the future, esspecially the ones in the diaspora.
I also would like to wish everyone a happy new year and pray that 2009 will be a good year for all of us.
P.S question number 11 of eth…..
The president of eritrea is 100% Christian Orthodox
Hi our Ethiopian brothers and sisters:
In reconfirmation to all those supporting comments listed above, you are kindly invited to witness for yourself H.E. President Issais Afwerki giving extensive LIVE, yes LIVE interview on ERI-TV, on Sunday, January 04, 2009 beginning at 12:00 (Noon) Eastern Time. The various topics of discussion are expected to include local and international issues.Please see the phenomenon, selfless, un-corruptible, one-of-a-kind and most of all distinctly truthful father of modern Eritrea answering various questions courageously and without any prejudice or bias. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT YOU WITNESS THE EVENT FOR YOURSELF. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Elias,
Some of your reader ignore that Isaias is half Ethiopian and brought up in Ethiopia. Please tell them his cause was Justified by the time and situation.Now we are indifferent time and situation.So far we have learnt a lot about the importance of co existance.We are causines there is no good reason to fight each other.Let bygone be bygone and see the opportunity we have forgone because of our ignorance.
This is very nice ER. Our only chance of liberating the horn Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular from the TPLF/ Woyane criminal juanta is to stand with our brothers to the north, Eritrea. I am 100% sure that once the woyane/TPLF criminal juanta is eliminated, there is a lot to be gained, such that: Just like we used their port before the outbreak of war with a minimal charge, we can work on to gain the trust we have lost back then.
As a follow-up to a previous comment, aplauding ER’s excelent choice for its ‘2008 Person of the Year’, I would like to add the following observations. While it is very clear that ER’s choice has won the support of the overwhelming majority of Ethiopians, it is astonishing to see some who, despite all the hard facts to the contrary, still persist in repeating the foolish blather of ‘Shaebia and Woyane are one-and-the-same’, ‘Meles is at the service of Eritrea’, ‘Issaias is out to destroy Ethiopia’, etc. I find this level of infantile stupidity on the part of some Ethiopians simply unfathomable! Then, there are the likes of the character called Berhane M. Tekeste (Messoud Filli), the disgraceful Awate gang, and various other individuals and groups, who masquerade as true Eritreans, but are in fact out-and-out traitors who have sold their bodies and souls to Woyane and are actively hatching Eritrea’s destruction from within Ethiopia and the Diaspora. These people, of course, do not constitute an ‘Opposition’ in any political or military sense. They simply are a bunch of self-serving and self-alienated lost souls, who have decided to sell their services to the worst enemy of their country, solely driven by hatred, jelousy, and an immoral quest for personal gain. Compare the diabolical and obscene conduct of these people with President Issaias’ exemplary and stellar accomplishments in his life-long, devoted service to his country and people, and right away, it becomes crystal clear why these people are loathed and hated by all Eritreans, and the President, on the other hand, is admired and loved by all, bar those who fraudulently call themselves the ‘Opposition’. When it comes to the question of the credentials that validate President Issaias’ worthiness for ER’s ‘Person of the Year’ title, one need not look further than Bealu’s exhaustive and elloquent narrative further up. Commentary #25).
Elias,, I do agree with you and we Eritreans love him becouse of he work for the sick of peaple and country not like legese when the peapl of ethiopian starved and suffered he preached the economi isgrow ??