An intelligent person who goes by the name BOSS has intelligently explained to the benefit of all of us here that there is NO derogatory stigma in being called NEFTEGNA. I also believe it is a title of honor like "Sir" in the British. This is corroborated by our country's history. I want to quote a paragraph from what BOSS. He said:
" the Neftegna is the model and archetypal Ethiopian patriot who has fought for honour and country to make Ethiopia what it is today. Ethiopian has remained a fortress for outside invaders due to the valour, courage, patriotisim and sacrifice of the Neftegna patriot, whom the fascist Zenawi and his cadres want to denigrate for political expediency. That is the difference between the Neftegna and the fascist anti-Ethiopian dictator Zenawi." IS THERE ANY DEROGATORY STIGMA IN BEING CALLED NEFTEGNA???

Email: TK@yahoo.com

City: Addis

Neft means gun. Neftegna means a gun bearer. Under American constitution the right to bear gun is constitutionally guaranteed right. The American neftegnas (gun bearers) are increasing in number. Any restriction is facing severe opposition from the people. In rural Ethiopia gun bearing is very common. The neftegnas, historically speaking, defended Ethiopia from all potential invaders and colonisers and made our country a pride for the entire black nation. Is this a crime? Not at all!!! LONG LIVE THE NEFTEGNAS!!!

Email: haimi@yahoo.com

City: Addis

Haimanot:
Very interesting analysis. Meles, yeshabia kitregna, tried to give it a wrong meaning, but was in vain. Meles tried to give this "targa" to one single ethnic group, but was in vain. Meles tried to portray neftegna as "oppressor", "dictator", etc, but no body accepted him. Meles tried to tell us the whole ethiopian problem is/was caused by neftegnas, but everybody laughed bottom up.

Email: AS@yahoo.com

City: Addis

In the ancient a world (i.e pre 1900) dominated by warlords and nation builders Ethiopian patriots, the Neftegnas led the fight in defence of their country from outside invaders. At various time in the history of this ancient country of ours, the Neftegna have fought major battles and won spectacular victories at Metema, Adwa , Gidoli and other places.

They have repulsed attacks from the Turks on the Red Sea coast, Egyptians in Harrar and Ahmed Gragn’s advance into central Ethiopia was halted by a major assault led by the Neftegna in Afar and east Wollo. The Neftegna also fought off the English expeditionary force from India at the battle of Maqdella. The battles of Metema against the Sudanese Dirbush, the battle of Adwa against Grazianni are also the most notable ones in which the Neftegna distinguished itselt in humiliating Ethiopia’s enemies.

Let’s honour the Neftegnas and give them the credit they deserve. I, for one, would be honoured to be called a Neftegna.

The Neftegnas saved the southern parts of Ethiopia from being icorporated with Kenya under the British rule.If it were not for Amhara Neftegnas,present-day Oromia would have been,after independence,the property of a minority of white people like in Kenya,Zimbabwe,South Africa,etc.
Worse still,the Oromos and Southern Peoples could have been driven out of their lands to remote corners of their land by the colonizers just as what happened to the indigenous people in North America,South America,Australia,etc.
The Neftegnas did none of that.Instead they assimilated with the local people.Please give them credit for that.I am also proud of our Neftegnas.

Email: zghiwet@yahoo.ca

City: Toronto

Dear Children of Setters:
You naked and aunshamed trait of humanity is clearer and clearer every day.
Neftegna is the worst thing that has happened to Ethiopia. Meles and his cabinet have destroyed and replaced with the new Ethiopian flag, constitution and true history. That is why, the farmer voted for him. In addition, forget about the settlers who used to farm with its hand, the Israeli settlers were forced to leave the occupied land of Palestine.
Therefore, settlers children will never rule Ethiopia and will die while they are crying as baby for the wealth of majority of Ethiopian.

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

Mr Shirdons,
Please do not fight with truth and history as you guys serving Zenawi seem to do without end. Distortion of the truth and history can not get you any where. For 14 years, there is no stone Zenawi has not left unturned to promote his anti-Ethiopian agenda.

Let’s not deny the fact that the Neftegna fought along various fronts in the battles to maintain the integrity and independence of Ethiopia. Ethiopia became the pride of the black race when she defeated Italy in the battle of Adwa in 1896. It was a defeat that forced Italy to accept the will of the Ethiopian people. No wonder, our enemies do not like to see a strong Ethiopia and use masked agents like Zenawi to weaken our country.

Ibrahim has a degree in Philosophy of Hatred, ethnic Division and chaos. Ibrahim cares only for himself even at expense of innocent lives. People like Hitler, Stalin, Edyamine of Uganda and Meles fascinate Ibrahim. God/Allah protect Ethiopia from hateful people like Ibrahim.
I am not bothered by the word Neftegna. I am proud of my background and I have a good sense of who I am. Name-calling is the reflection of one’s insecurity. Usually these kinds of people are violent. Apparently, Ibrahim has some issues like his boss killer Meles.

Haimanot Desalegn, you are right

Neft means gun. Neftegna means a gun bearer. Under American constitution the right to bear gun is constitutionally guaranteed right. But under American constitution doesn't give the Neftegna to take other people land by force and make them slave... you see what Neftegna did was they took oromo land and give themselve a gift and make the oromo slave that is what Neftegna did... not only that the Neftegna try to distroy the oromo culture and lanuage as well.

Now the second point:- The Myth about The neftegnas, defended Ethiopia from all potential invaders and colonisers... that is a myth the neftegnas need the oromo help at that time they need all ethiopians help to defend the colonizer but after the victory the neftegna turn the gun own rest of Ethiopians people.. this like the balck coloniztion all over again.

The Neftegna get help from outsider or souther Ethiopia to register victory at Metema, Adwa , Gidoli, (at Maqdella Ethiopia lost) even fighting with Eritrea and Somila Ethiopia needed outsider help the cuba and the Russia were our supporter for the last 30 years therefore...

aother myth about The Neftegnas saved the southern parts of Ethiopia from being icorporated with Kenya under the British rule:-

Number one without the Southern Ethiopia the Neftegn also would have been under the rule of British. second tell me out is the diffent b/w the British and the Neftegn rule they are the same the only diff. is their skin color that all.

In fact if it were the british the oromo would have been free for more then 40 years by now

Dear Tulu,
It is not a myth that Ethiopians from all parts of the country, took part in the wars fought on all the fronts including Adua, Metema, Dogali, Harrar etc. It is a misrepresentation of the truth to suggest that the Neftegna belonged to one ethnic group. In fact, the Neftegnas from each region, who were local representatives of the state, were responsible for contributing forces to fight in these wars.

It is also worth noting that Ogaden and the southern part of Ethiopia would have been carved up by the intrigues made between England and Italy who were administering British and Italian Somaliland at the time. France was another power occupying Djibouti in the region, building empire for themselves.

Dear Tulu,
I thought you implied the Neftegnas were able to colonize the Oromo people because they had guns.I agree because if Oromos also had guns they would not have been colonized.That means it was only the Neftegnas that were able to fight back the British that came throurgh Moyale.I do not deny all Ethiopians who had arms participated in defending our country and will do so in the future.
You seem to have unsustantiated and fabricated facts in all your contributions.Please operate within reasons.Nothing is in black and white as you try to make it look.To help you have good conscience,please read your bible.God bless you.

Email: zghiwet@yahoo.ca

City: Toronto

Dear Tulu(Mamo):
Your days are getting dimmer and dimmer. Thanks to Meles and his cabinet that kicked out from Ethiopia.
When you were studying English, we, the southern people, were locked in refugee camps; however, we got many degrees in the last twenty years. In other words, these students are only emigrated to North America in the last two decades.
Today, I talked to the VOA director and she told me that that VOA will broadcast Somali program in the coming months.

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

Neftegna can be defined. As a person who is responsible for the misery of the mighty Ethiopia during the last 100 years.

NEFTEGNA = [Knows very well how to talk or bark + Doesn't know how to work effectively and efficiently + very keen for parasitic life + Chauvinist with empty store + Doesn't have the stamina for resilience during difficult and challenging times + power hungry + very keen for self interest (choose to exile than to defend the country during difficult time), + harbours machiavellian and backward mentality + etc, etc]

This is a debate and the definition is from my point of view. If I am wrong please convince me.

Hello ladies and gentlemen:
The word or neftegna has nothing to do with the common public(amhara ,tigray ,oromo, etc.).The problem is the minority rulers be it Menilik ,yohannes or Gobena or Tona-- they were feudals who were ruling the wretched people in more less contempt than the colonialist to the common public.
Neftegna for me is not any person whose ethinic gruop may come from the neftegnas BUT a big BUT a ruthless ruler whose sputum was spat on the followers !!!
so forget this word and try to be modern and understan the the positives from menilik or any other ruler. Never accuse in retrospect! But if you live in the past that is a problem
be well

Ibru Gela,

First please be soft on Tulu. He was trying to sell himself to EPRDF and you are seeing this as a competition to score favor from Gebrelekuskus.

Second, you say you got many degrees. May I dare to ask in which field your degrees may be. Is it by correspondence. I hear Meles has 11 degrees and Isaya is working on the tenth, trying to catch up may be een pass Meles.

I also hear that Meles's secretary has four. The school keep sending her a BA for every MA they issued to Meles. The justification is that she learned while typing his papers. How many degrees do you have? How many does your secretary (Gebrelekuskus) have?

Mamo QIlo

selam betigl,
I agree with you that feudal system used the nobility in each ethnic group to oppress the people. The Oromo Nobility like Jote worke, Aba Bia, Aba dula, etc and the Tigrean nobility like Ras Mengesha Seyuome and even the father of Dr. Beyene Petros are all accomplices of the Emperor’s misrule. That is why I always say EPRP was the perfect party in theory to raise issues like self determination and land to the tiller in conjuction. However in practice they proved otherwise by waging war in the cities and supporting Somalia during the 1977 war but that is beside the point. I am from the south and have no problem with Amharas labled now as Neftegnas who lived there. My problem is with those Amharas who behave with the intention to intimidate and forcefully decide the destiny of nationalities with out any due concern and consideration. Maybe, Meles has wrongly phrased them as Neftenga in blanket for the lack of a better word I guess.

To All others,
On the other note, some one said that neftegna only fought in Adua, Metema, Dogali, Harrar etc. That is wrong. Gebreye of Teodros is from Wolayta, Gobena of Menilik is from Oromo, Balcha Aba nefso is Sidama,
and there were many military leaders and fighters from many regions in all those wars. Other ethinc gruops had Neft(gun) too, mainly the nobility and their soldiers, but not the populous like Amharas.

Nefttegnas played the role of soldiers without pay before the constitution of the Ethiopian army in Menelik's time.They got their living by being assigned farming land all over Ethiopia,not only in Oromo areas.They were given unoccupied land to live on as farmers.When they went to battlefields their neighbours were supposed to look after their families and tend their farms and domestic animals.The problem arose as land became scarcer and some of the Nefttegnas became greedy and some even acquired more land due to their positions illegally.It was those ******* greedy few that drove the wedge between the people of Ethiopia and they paid for it with their lives.Let us let it to rest as such.Besides a criminal's child cannot be held responsible for his father's sin in modern age judicial system.
It is better we live together on equal terms and respect to each other than going our separate ways.Afterall we lived together for more than 100 years.When Blacks and Whites can mend their differences and live together,why can't we?

Email: zghiwet@yahoo.ca

Mamo:
Is it true that Amhara start to eat the raw meat when Ahmed Gran routed them to the home town in Gondar?
They eat raw meat to hide from Gran Soldiers and not to be killed.
I know that this will touch your upset you and you will delete as soon as you read so that the other will not see the Amahra dirty history.

Email: shirdons@yahoo.com

City: Washington DC

Ibrulekuskus,

I did not hear of this story, but let us assume it is tru. What is the point? All Ethioian eat Raw meat wth the exception of few. Many people around the world are now enjoying Kitfo (raw meat) in Ethiopian restaurants. I hear there is a professor in some university in Virginia who writes ethnic restaurant guide. And he wrote Ethiopian food is one of the most exotic and tasty food in the world and his favorite food is Kitfo. He is an American. Any follow up question? By the wy lately VJ is soundingmore and ore like you. I am not sure if he is degenerating or you are improving.

Yehager Shimagele aka
Mamo Qilo aka
Ankasa Doro

Among the various definitions posted,I appreciate the definition of Abebe.If Tolesa Irebo is not still satisfied,I could be in service.

Likunnegerewe,

No, Tolesa Irebo is not satisfied. But Abebe's definition seems to be confused and confusing. It is neither internally consistent nor outwardly sound. Who are you and what is your name?

Mamo Qilo aka
Ankasa Doro aka
Gebreselassie Buster