WASHINGTON DC – Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.), Chairman-Africa, Global Human Rights, and International Operations, plans to visit Ethiopia in about two weeks. He will meet with the Meles government and with the opposition. Smith has been briefed about the situation in Ethiopia, including the regime's attempts to subvert democracy and suppress human rights. Smith said he and other members of Congress are very concerned about the situation. In fact, he originally planned to visit only the Darfur region of Sudan, but he changed his plans to include Ethiopia in order to gather more information and to express his concern.

Here is your chance Mamo to brief your republican congressman before the Gebremenamen fill him with garbage.(he probably have done it already)

Selam Yehun,

I will prepare a document for the opposition on what to say and what not to say. If CUD is smart they have to move as far to the right as they can. They present themselves as loyal to the interest ot the US, particulalry present themselves as better alternative to fighting terrorism.

They need to prepare talking points and prepare who says what on what topic. They should use this as an opportunity to prove that they are well mannered and seasoned and pro American, particularly pro Republican at best or pro conservative ideals at the very least.

They should keep those who talk about "we are independent and free people" out of the window. Their basic approach should be if Meles is seen as the best African leader and recieves billions of dollars, they should ask the congress man to imagine what are the worst Afrcan leaders that the US tax money has been funding. CUD and UEDF shoul study the record of the congress man and appeal to his ideals and principles. Politics is about sucking up. We need to do a better job than Meles does. Meles is in power by the support he gets from the donor community and the soul super power. You deny him that stand he is down before you can say "down". More on this later.

I am busy calling my republican friends.

Mamo Qilo

Mamo Qilo

I have a feeling the whole US administration are being briefed wrong information by GebrMeles and the likes, Meles’ PR committee. Even the Human Rights Watch had a wrong information that CUD is a one Ethnic party. This is one of the reasons I strongly believe a strong PR committee is so vital especially for a new formed party as CUD and UEDF.

Hopefully Rep. Christopher Smith will be briefd the concerns of all Ethiopians before he leaves for Ethiopia. I hope The congressman will travel to Wollo,Gondar and other parts of Ethiopia where the Woyanes did the most damage and talk to the ordinary people.

Folks,

Really, what’s all this exercise in futility, aren't you by now aware of the fact that Tim Clarke is simply and errand boy whose only purpose is to deliver a message between EU & USA, and between the ruling party to the opposition.

Get over it, Tim Clark makes nor has the power to change minds as he has no influence over anyone party. Remember, Tim Clarke dismissed Ana Gomez at the behest and insistence of Meles Zenawi, because of her assertive demands for a independent and transparent conduct by NEB and castigating Meles for attempting to incite ethnic violence by making the speeches in which he invoked interhamwe like massacre.

For all exhaustive purposes, neither Tim Clarke nor the US congressman are in a position to alter the position that USA and EU have decided to maintain stability under tyranny over democracy with assured stability. Ironically Condi Rise and her mentor Bush gave impressive lip services to the world espousing to stand with nations aspiring democracy...bal...bla bla...bla. As far as US & EU are concerned, they have made their desire abundantly clear to the opposition party. I suggest you go back and re-read Tim Clarke's message of last week to the opposition party.

As I said all along in my aggravation and disappointments as any frustrated and disappointed genuine fellow Ethiopian, the fate of Ethiopia and the realization of our democratic aspiration lies in the hands of the Ethiopian people and not in the benevolence of the EU, UK, USA, Condi Rise, Tony Blair or Tim Clarke, nor Jimmy Carter.

The opposition party would be more effective if it acted under the auspices and collective power of its constituents and the Ethiopian people by (a) rejecting the election results as fraudulent and defective, (b) demanding the abolition of the existing NEB, (c) creation of a neutral board comprising of the ruling party, the opposition parties, and a fresh army of international observers excluding the carter center. Following that, the opposition should put the world on notice, organize a coordinated massive peaceful public demonstration in every major urban and rural areas of the country with the involvement of all public and civic organizations for however long it takes with determination and vigilance. The Ethiopian people are ready for it if the collective leaderships of the opposition party has the chutzpah.

Anything short of this viable option will only strengthen and legitimize TPLF/Meles' rule of oppressions and assured retribution.

Folks, this is where the rubber meets the road!

Beheg-Amlack