Dear Professor:

First, my gratitude for your engagement on issues of importance in Ethiopia. Your efforts are voluntary and motivated by your love for your country of birth. I salute that sir. For the record, there are articles that have been written by your that I disagreed with and some that I passionately disagreed with. But more pressing issues are before us. In that regard, I do appreciate your approach. Your condemnation of the Ethiopian government for the brutal savagery that it has shown is commendable. How do you respond to urban protests, granted rock throwing protests, with live ammunition. How do you murder the wife of an elected official after you have already arrested him without any incident. Like you sir, I condemn such barbaric behavior. I also appreciate your viewpoints regarding the opposition. An opposition that did not clearly spell out to the population that Anti-Tigrayan sentiments and/or actions are not to be tolerated. The CUD declaration regarding the unacceptability of Anti-Tigrayan sentiments, came as a result of EPRDF's exploitation of this particular weakness. That was a mistake. CUD allowed this archaic and hateful sentiment to foster. It shouldn't have. CUD has improved a lot but still needs more work in this regard. All Ethiopians must push CUDP in this regard.

Dear Professor, I am at a loss for words at the lack of objective balanced discussions or proposals from all corners of our society. Is this all we have? That each one of us, barricade ourselves in our ethnic enclaves and bad mouth one another. Is this all the brilliance Ethiopia has? That it is hard to find a person, who condemns stone throwing and at the same time condemn the savage like response of the government. That is why I was delighted sir, to see an intellectual, that I passionately disagreed with, with a balanced criticism of both sides. Especially, considering the fact that you are a well known intellectual and an Ethiopian of Tigrayan descent, It was truly refreshing to see an approach without the limitation of ethnic-enclave mentality. For the record, I am a non-Tigrayan, who abhors the anti-Tigrayan statements or sentiments that were exhibited by some members of the opposition. Such stupidity has no place in my life. Such stupidity, contradicts everything my parents thought me about Ethiopia. I condemn it without any reservation. Just Like I condemn Meles Zenawi's savage like actions against civilians.

Peace and Love to all Ethiopians. Ebakeacheu, let us all be a bit more patient before we march into the abyss.

Michael Hailu