Personaly I do not want to make a big deal out of this little skirmish between the Sheik and our freind Merchaw.Becouse it obscures the Big and troubling situation we are in today.However the more i think about it it looks to me that it is more planned and orchestrated by few individuals who are eager to take this opportunity to their advantage.It is sad but it is true none of them who worked togather Supposed to be "friends" give him a chance to explain his side of the story.This doesnot mean Mirchaw didnot go over boared on some issues on this matter.But at least he deserve to be heard.Specially now where our country is in big trouble.By the way there is a poll underway on nazert.com asking their readers whether the Shiek action on Closing down DC Radio is right or wrong.According to the poll As of this momment74% the respondents are saying The Sheik is Wrong.Not this Time!!!!! NO !!!!

Email: Nakididi@hotmail.com

City: Germantown,MD

We know the shek has been serving the ethiopian people in various ways. This is an open fact. I personally like him very much. i appericate his unreserved effort to help ethiopia and its people. We are very grateful for that. There is however one unescapable fact. Being rich does not give him the right to exercise what ever he wants. As i heard, he has not got an ethiopian citizen(am not sure). The easiest thing would have been rather, it is easy for him to get a citizenship and then act accordingly.

Email: em@yahoo.com

City: usa

The truth is that if one thinks that there are false allegations about him/her being disseminated through various ways (including just telling someone about it), then he/she has the right to sue, as it is libel.

So, in the case of the sheik, he threatened to sue, the radio station pulled the plug on Merchaw. The person who had sued could well have been your average joe, and if it was warranted, the radio station would have done anything to avert it.

So, if libelous, expect to be sued.

Email: belew@here.com

Yes, Sir!

You have it right on the money. It is people who attack people with different views that discredit us.

Mamo Qilo

You know what Thanks for Artisit Tamagen DVD. On the DVD you will see the so called Sheik sat next to Mr. Tamarat Leyne. What do this prove to us. Let me answer my question. The Sheik was loyal to EPDRF up to now. Is it not so? Thank you Tamagen for that DVD

City: Falls Church

I know for sure that the Sheik has invested a lot in Ethiopia. This has been helping the country. But i personnaly don't like the sheik's attitude. I don't belive he is really concerned about the poor ethiopian people. He is doing all this things only to please himself. I know he has every right to do this but it will not be fair to tell this poor people that he is with its side. As a matter of fact, he is with EPRDF that most of the ethiopian people has been suffered by.
Let alone his support to EPRDF but every donations he has been giving, they are almost intended to please himself and for his fame. If he is really concerned to help the poor, why is he always supporting artists, sport clubs...? Have you ever seen him helping to improve eucation in the country? Have you heared about the Seik's contribution in the health sector, like HIV? He may have done something like Selam Nurse college...but not significant compare with his potentional and his investment on other sectors.
The Sheik has the right to do whatever he likes unless he is against the law but i have also the right to say i that I DN NOT LIKE HIM!.

City: Addis

What a logical conclusion. Tamagn's DVD shows Al Amoudi sitting with Tamrat Layne ten years ago. We know he endorsed EPRDF in 2005. Some people do not like him for that. That is fine, you do not need to like him. But democratic principles suggest you respect his political choice. Only dictators enforce their views on others. You guys are todays opposition and tomorrows dictators.
If you have the opportunity to be in power you would be no less dictatorial than Meles. It is sad!

Mamo Qilo

Mamo Quilo
Are you still insisting that the Sheik has a right to LOBBY for EPDRF? Just answer that briefly. And then I know where you stand

City: Falls Church

Do you know if Ethiopians got the opportunity to do better for their country? Ethiopia got rich soil. However no leader. Sheik Alamodi is just one of the EPRDF Dog. I'm Sorry to say that but that is the fact. I live in the U.S.A. I know multi-billiner Bill Gate. He never talk **** like Sheik when their is an elecation period in U.S.. Instead, he helps school by donate tones of money. He never says to people to choose Republic or Democract. He is just a Business man. Alamoodi, I do not think he knows what he was doing. He need to know Ethiopian saying "NO JOKE ABOUT MOTHERLAND/COUNTRY AND WIFE" Ehiopians love their country very much and love their wife. They never use their country for money. That is what he should know.

Mitu,

Yes, I am saying the Sheik has every right to lobby for EPRDF during the election time. That is the essense of democracy. Why are you surprised about this.

For your information, this is not the first time that Mirchaw was kicked out of a station for liable. His radio program is short on analysis (I am not sure he has what it takes to analyze a complex situation). What he does is throw a cascade of insults and defamation of characters.

MAmo Qilo

He can lobby for EpRDF because no rule is found respected in ethiopia. Had he been lobbying for CUD, he would have been jailed.

Mamo Qilo!
If you dine and wein with Hitler, then you are a friend of Hitler!
Now, Momo! tell me what is the right of Hitler and his friends?
I say to stand on trial in Hague!
As far as What Sheki did, read what Liben wrote!
I know you dont like it!
"The Sheki
You are exposed and have lost the game like the EPRDF.Your public dramas are betraying you , no coverups, no pretentions will save your name.
You say you are investing for you country. A big lie. You only bought existing factories and farms. you sell egges and milk competing small traders. You smaggel gold out of the country evading tax. You leased large urban lands and kept it fenced. You pop up in puplic occasions and throw money to get popularity. What did you do to AIDS victims, to the homless, to the street boys, to the ealderly. You charity is only for popularity. You always do it on events where there is midea coverage. All your investments are in contradiction to the country`s inerest. Your agenda is surfacing itself. Leave us alone and dont messup with our freedom. We are poor but proud. Wach your moves. This is a holy land. No durty trics.

Email: timbactu@yahoo.com

City: Arat-kilo

Kukuye,

You nailed it right on the head. Yes, Al Amoudi would have been jailed or kicked out if he lobbyed fro CUD. Whether that is the reason he supported EPRDF or not is hard to tell. He could also have remained neutral, but he chose to support EPRDF. The point is we should not do what EPRDF does, that is arresting, vellifying, killing, people who do not support our views. That is a dictatorial policy. That is not democratic. That is whay I keep on arguing with you all that what you are doing violates the principles of democracy.

Mamo Qilo

Mamo,
You are stuck with the principle of democracy, now I doubt you know what it means!
We have the right to oppose the arrogant public figure!
We have the right to question and comment on investment or influence of any public figure or public figure want to be!
We individually or collectively have the right to do all the above, and that is all what is done to the Sheki.
We will watch closely his move, whether his intention is to help or influence the country's direction!
I don't see nothing wrong with that.

Email: timbactu@yahoo.com

City: Arat-kilo

Arat Qilo wrote: People have been killed before the election by EPRDF, or are you saying EPRDF has never violated human right before the election?

Mamo Qilo responds: EPRDF and TPLF are one and the same. They have killed many innocent people before and after the election.

Arat Qilo worte: People have been kidnapped, killed and nowhere to be found. People have been arrested with out cause and detained with out due process for a very long time! If you are on the other side of EPRDF, where were you when all this happens, that you think everything was nice and dandy until the election?

Mamo Qilo says: I was there witnessing all the criminal activities of Meles and company. The issue is, we all agreed and supported the election as a way forward. If you accept this as valid, you and I would have accepted the result if EPRDF had won fair and square. You and I are objecting the results not the process, right? I am defending the process not the result. The process is that there was a democratic election process (with some problem here and there, but by and large all agree that it was a democratic process). In this process Al Amoudi has every right to support EPRDF, just like you and I have all the right to support the opposition.

Arat Kile wrote: Now, Mamo who has the time line wrong?. Who need to get the time line straight? Don't be like your Sheki, apologize!

Mamo Qilo responds: I think we need to understand what is meant by time line. Up until the election, EU had supported the process. They rejected the outcome, or what was done after the election. The same way many people who might have voted for EPRDF during the election might find the recent murder of innocent people unacceptable. So the time line I was marking was before and after the election. Before the election we were all a party to the process and we could support any party we chose. No reason to apologize.

Arat Kilo wrote: Mamo, you got stuck with principles of democracy! He has the right to exercise his democratic right, if his is Ethiopian (there are some questions about that), but the people also has the right to rebuke him for his action.

Mao Qilo: I completely agree with you that the people have evry right to criticize him or object his views. I have no problem with that. That is democracy. The problem is whether Al Amoudi has the right to defend his name and reputation through the legal system, if people like Mirchaw are found to have engaged in defaming him. I say, he has all the right in the world to take Mirchaw to court. Mirchaw has all the right to counter sue.

Mamo Qilo

Email: mamoqilo@yahoo.com

Mamo,
Let me tell you this.
Merchaw is just a messenger, but people rebuke your Sheki!
Merchaw didn't bring the whole situation of your sheki being a Bee and shocking the people.
Merchaw just happen to be there, as far as I am concerned on the right time.
Don’t kill the messenger!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is just a messenger; your sheki did the action.
Let your Sheki grow up and defend himself in public opinion by further attack on Ethiopian people (as he is doing now) or by damage control by apologizing to the people.

What your Sheki did is arrogant, his statement on the net and his action on Merchaw.
We have seen practices of free speech and free press in democratic countries.
When public figures are subject to scrutiny of their public and personal life by almost every one who has access to media, they have choices to make:
1- act as arrogant as your Sheki
2- see the out come of their action and jump in damage control by explaining what had happen or what they meant
3- go find a legal way to defend themselves
4- go and attack the messenger using their power (in your sheki case using his money, that is the only power he has)
Etc
Your Sheki did choose to attack the people!
I have never seen public figures of the democratic countries suing journalists or journalist want to be(s).
We see public humiliation of public figures by those with access to media (acceptable or not acceptable), but never heard of such abuse of power (his money) as your sheki is doing.
He is not different than his friend Meles !

i really do not understand how you Amharas thinking. you guys think that you are the best rase in ethiopia and that you deserve power. what about other ethnic groups and their voilated rights for hundered years .

Please understand that the main reason you and your brothers in non Amhara places servived yet is becouse of your tigre brothers if not the rest of so called ethiopians would have revenged what you did to them.

And every ethink group knows that ethiopia means Amhara and tigre.

and please just mind about your self and do not talk about persons and other ethinc groups

Email: feabsco@yahoo.com

If democracy means allying with a murderer, blood sucker, lier what not....then I am NOT a democrat. Democracy as popularly defined is promoting peoples will. Maybe the question should be like this. Can one be a killer, thief, blood sucker? Are these democratic rights? Can one finance lawless genocidal thugs? If this is democracy, I am NOT again a democrat. Is there murdering right? Is there financing murderers right? Is there looting right?

Email: hrobert@hotmail.com

City: London