AM I DREAMING OR IS THE DIASPORA IN DENIAL?

As some of you may know, there are quite a few of us in the Diaspora who frequent the so called chat rooms in Paltalk. Sprinkled between the religion rooms, love rooms and hate rooms are the political rooms where some of us cut our teeth and sharpened our tongues.

I spent a good deal of my time in the last two and a half years, fighting for the release of the CUD prisoners. Day and night we labored. I formed friendships and forged alliances. I met Ethiopians from different ethnic backgrounds throughout the world and enjoyed chatting with them on the side. We exchanged information as varied as the Eritrean border issue, the justification of the Somalia invasion, and even how to mix different drinks. Some of them have become best friends.

Through it all, I tended to bring the conversation back to the prisoners in Kality. I always did it in a peaceful and accommodative style. To most, my inclusive politics was untenable and I was routinely rewarded with the Paltalk vocabulary called "bouncing" and sometimes "banned" for good. The availability of a few more laptops and a bit of computer literacy has allowed me to continue to monitor and challenge the mind-boggling lies and innuendos so frequently heard even in the best of these rooms.

The help for my mission came in the form of a high EPRDF official, who was a guest in one of my favorite rooms, Ethiopians Forum for Political Civility. This individual made it a point to afford me his time and real brotherhood to answer my questions regarding the prisoners. When they were finally released through the hard work of the "Shimagiles" and the governments' good will, I was fortunate enough to be in Ethiopia and thank some of those officials who I believed had some role in their release

Fast forward to the "9^th of September" in Washington, D.C. and the Ethiopian community is going nuts over the visit of the CUD "leaders". No sooner had they arrived in the land of the free and home of the brave, than rumors started circulating about the feud between Dr. Berhanu Nega and Eng. Hailu Shawel. The paltalk rooms were partitioned along personality supports and narrow political opinions. If you happen to be in the wrong room and mentioned the name of the wrong person, you get the boot in no time. The issue of KIC and KIL that has been simmering for months is in the front burner again.

In my case, it did not take one of these "respectable" rooms to show me the door when I said, "Ethiopia is ruled by EPRDF." I am serious. That is all I said. Yes, here in the land of the free and home of the brave. Last time I checked, EPRDF was still in power!. I got a similar treatment a few months ago, when I said PM Meles Zenawi would be one of my choices for the Best Leader of Ethiopia Contest. After the release of the prisoners, and after that fantastic Millennium outfit, the other names I mentioned are falling far behind.

Actually, I also said there is a CUD party in Ethiopia and any one wanting to be a member has to join that party, or have another party registered in Ethiopia. Technically speaking, it should be wrong to refer to the visiting individuals as CUD leaders. I did not go past the first paragraph when I was bounced for the second time.

Am I dreaming or is the Diaspora in denial? I gave up and went back to edit the Kinijit Manifesto, to make it a kinder and gentler document. I am on page five!. Stay tuned.