Tension

I just returned from Addis where I attended a friend’s serg. I’m still digesting what I saw and experienced in the nation’s capital in the past two weeks and I hope to write about my impressions in subsequent postings. The words negeroch teregagtewal, oft repeated by Addis Ababans these days only describe a meregagat of the security situation in the city and not the utter disgust with events taking place at Sidist Kilo. A sense of doom pervades in the city—smiles are rare and even the goofy guards at the Hilton have lost their arm-trembling salutes. Carter’s trip in May was a harbinger of the malaise that has gripped Addis Ababa since the ex-prez’ blunder-filled jaunt in Ethiopia and his neither-here-nor-there observations of the 2005 elections.

One thing that has quadrupled since my last visit to the city a little bit more than a year ago is the sheer amount of the homeless and yene biTe on the streets. For the love of God, Ihadegoch, can't you, at the very, very, least, get rid of leprosy!? How's that for a freakin' slogan? Am I the only one tired of seeing our leprosy-ridden Ethiopian brothers and sisters living such horrid existence? Lord Almighty!

Dr. Berhanu Nega and his colleagues have now been imprisoned for exactly 61 days. I heard the government’s charges against the detained CUDites and others at a café not too far from the Posta Bet area where I had ventured to buy a couple of last minute gifts. The ETV report caught me offguard but it suddenly made sense why all the chairs faced the television set. The hush that settled in the smoky joint after the charges were read spoke volumes of the stress Addis Ababans are under.

Genocide? I haven’t analyzed this issue but doesn’t that require at least one dead body? I thought the only people who died were kids shot point-blank by the federal police? Addis Ababans are bracing for the AV, documentary, and testimonial evidence Meles claims will hoist the now-accused by their own petards. These are extremelly troubling times for the country. I stopped by a couple of internet “cafés” on Bole Road and managed to place a comment on Redeem Ethiopia, one of my favorite Ethio blogs. Yagerlig, I probably visited every bookstore in Addis but was not able to get my hands on a copy of Ambassador Zewde’s Teferi Mekonen. If you're still not having luck getting your hands on a copy, check this link at ethiopians.com. Mega's demise leaves a huge void and I hope someone fills it quickly. I took a couple of books for the Addis trip but only read one. The Texture of Dreams by Fasil Yitbarek provided much needed levity when none was available in the city, and through Fasil’s dreams, experienced fleeting hope for what Ethiopia can and should be—a nation of hope, peace, and tranquility amidst a sea of adversities. Inspired by Redeem Ethiopia (Dec. 17, 2005 post) and hoping to start the year with an uplifting word on things Ethiopian, the post below is a short comment on what I think is the best piece of Ethiopian creative writing in 2005.

This is not a comprehensive review—Professors Tecola Hagos, Ayele Bekrie, and Richard Pankhurst have provided excellent commentaries although I recommend reading the novel before engaging Professor Hagos’ impressive literary review.

To the family and friends of Workineh Yemesgen, no words could express my sadness when I heard of his passing last week. Workineh died an untimely death (he was 35) in Addis Ababa as a result of a tragic accident. I met him only once but was struck by his kindness and love for his family. He is survived by his wife, two very young sons, a mother, and several siblings. Egzyabher bertatun yesTachuh.