Everybody,

We don't need any more motivational speeches....the members of ESAi are together on the position that ESAi must act when students are affected. I don't think anybody is saying that it would be political to be involved with this issue....it has been stated in the past that this is in fact the main reason why ESAi WOULD approach a government and its officials. The only problem is that ESAi has never developed a reliable way to collect the opinions of our membership and send out a representative statement that is in line with the ideals of ESAi.

Still, we are choosing to press on with this issue and do the best we can even if we don't have a process to do this reliably. It's not like anybody is saying "ESAi may not be right for this"...it's more like "ESAi is not ready for this, but ready or not, here we go."


_________________
Nahom M. Beyene
University of Texas Alumnus
Stanford University Alumnus
University of Pittsburgh Doctoral Student
http://ras_nahom.homestead.com
http://ESATexas.homestead.com



Listen for knowledge....Observe for intellect....

The best thing to do I think is to write a letter to Ethiopian embassy asking for clarifications about this matter. In the mean time we can develop a method to follow up on the matter.

Lets write a letter and show them that we are concerned:

TO: Ambassador Kassahun Ayele
Embassy of Ethiopia
3506 International Dr. NW
Washington, DC 20008
From: Ethiopian Students Association, International
Washington D.C
Subject: Bahr Dar University Shut Down

Dear Ambassador, a shocking news about our members in Baherdar came to our our attention. The news reported “Bahr Dar University students have sought shelter at a church in the city after they were evicted by government forces which descended down on campus dormitories last night [November, 8],
"The students were planning to peacefully demonstrate over the deteriorating condition on campus - particularly related to unhygienic meals which had repeatedly endangered their health. Student calls for safe meals fell on deaf ears, which led the students to organizing protest rallies," Menelik newspaper reported today”

We are requesting for clarification about this unfortunate situation and about what’s being done to solve the problem. Our organization has a non-political stand on all its activities. However we find it to be impossible not to get involved in matters involving our members (our brothers and sisters).
Blen ******
ESAI, president

something like this but most of you can write a better letter than I do... But i would suggest a letter like this...

While most of us still trying to gather more information in our own way, I support the idea of writing a letter to the ambassador for a clarification. Once we have verified information do we proceed with writing a letter to the government of Ethiopia with our concerns regarding to the situation. (It is my understand, from reading Amharic news via ENA, that the students of Addis Ababa/Bhardar have written a letter to the Prime Minster to resolve the issue. )

We can also write a letter to the student body expressing our solidarity. In all respect, we need to do a good job of researching the situation before we act in haste.

So here is what seems to have happened: one of the two campuses in bahir dar university (Pedagogy campus is the one that was affected). the students in the polytechnic campus were not evicted. the cause is the heigine of food served in the pedagogy campus that i don't have the exact details of(sequence of events).

Now i am told students have started classes since monday. the campus was closed last friday.

to clarify for Nahom and for others the 2000 students talked of are not of Bahir Dar university. there were some 27000 students university bound this semester as freshmen. of those it seems 25000 have been placed and the government is saying it can not place the 2000 students left and says they should go to private universities. the students want to be placed in government ones for cost reasons, specially for those from the country side and far off areas. a siginificant section of these students has demonstrated or gathered near the minstry of education asking to be placed. as myliham says they have now written a letter to the prime minister and the education minister, at least according to the news.

In many ways the way esai can help with the bahir dar university seems to work out ways for this kind of thing to be addressed without the need to close a campus or university for any period of time during term in the future. since the university has opened again, call to open it is late. but students need to figure out how to converse with the admin about food hygiene and for the admin to stop being paranoid every time students express dissatisfaction and for the government to stop over reacting to students.

the other discourse currently going between addis ababa university students and the admin is about cost sharing arrangements. government is asking students to pay a share of the cost (between 15-25 %, please double check for accuracy) once they graduate. students are not convinced yet. some students say only new comes should pay it. some say the share is too much. the government says the money amounts to about 2500 birr in total. i think they need to talk more with each other.

hey guys u all have tried to think and do whatever u thought is right. it is not about food anymore it is about meles. if he is not dead a lot our brothers will be dead. u all know it! this mother fuge shall be dead! he is so scarred of them that is why he is bitching and running after their ass all the time. for one reason he know what brough mengestu regime to its knees. it is not just weyane those stinking kemalame soldiers it was the univeristy students who exacerbated its power.
so don't confuse people by saying it is a problem about food. noo it is not and we all know it. i don't know if u are afaraid to admit it. no body is going to arrest u meles has no power in the u.s. so speak what u feel like.

WE DO WHATEVER THE FACK WE WANNA DO!! (IF U PUT THE ACTUAL FU-CK) THE NAETWORK WON'T POST IT, DON'T THINK I AM SOMEKIND OF STUPID WHO CAN'T SPELL THAT.

Just to check your history, those brothers and sisters you insult gave their lives for a cause so that people like you can openly exercise your so called right. Now you can come back and insult them by calling them "stinking kemalame soldiers". If you had their will and dedication, in the first place, you woudln't have opened your stinking mouth, to say the least. It's one thing to dislike the ruling government, but when you insult people who were brave enough to give up their lives for a struggle, you stand out to be laughed at. Let's not divert the real issue in here. Under this topic, people are showing their concern regarding the incident. Why not open a new topic and perhaps we can educate you on what it means to have determination and fight for a principle that matters to you.

so in terms of the issues university students have with govt, here is an article about the cost sharing dispute:


http://allafrica.com/stories/200311070607.html





the above quote is why i think esai has its work cut out for it

I'm a little confused....the cost sharing issue....does that concern all university students or is that just AAU? has AAU written any letter in defense of Bahir Dar University students? I fear that two student related stories are getting jumbled together...I'm gonna do so more reading and see if I can understand this information better.


_________________
Nahom M. Beyene
University of Texas Alumnus
Stanford University Alumnus
University of Pittsburgh Doctoral Student
http://ras_nahom.homestead.com
http://ESATexas.homestead.com



Listen for knowledge....Observe for intellect....

the cost sharing policy concerns all students. but students have not been told about it in advance in all places and thing discussed with them. AAU and Bahir Dar university don't seem to have discussed it with them before last week. yes the issues are jumbled a bit. i have read somewhere that the day the bahir dar campus was closed students have sent some representatives to talk to students in AAU. i don't know if AAU has responded to Bahir Dar in any official capacity.

i will read more too.

So lets come up with an action plan. I like what Tantu suggested! Lets contact the embassy as soon as possible, asking for clarification should not be that complicated. Edit the letter and take the letter in person or mail it to them. We can also send copies to Education Minster, Addis Ababa and Baherdar University officials. Go to the D.C. embassy and give the letter in person to the Ambassador or the deputy.

Eastboy and others,

Here is one link, in Amharic, that talks about the issue of student placement. http://www.ethiozena.net/Gazettas/Tobia/Archives/1996/Hedar/03/Tobia1.030396.sera.html

The issue of tution sharing that the government is trying to implement is talked is explained in the follwing links.
http://unicode.news.com.et/Gazettas/Nation/Archives/1996/Tekemt/28/Nation3.280296.sera.html
http://www.ethiozena.net/Gazettas/Tobia/Archives/1996/Hedar/03/Tobia1.030396.sera.html
http://unicode.news.com.et/Gazettas/Askwal/Archives/1996/Tekemt/24/Askwal1.240296.sera.html
Bhairdar students corresponded with AAU students
http://www.ethiozena.net/Gazettas/Satenaw/Archives/1996/Tekemt/30/Satenaw1.300296.sera.html

http://www.hrw.org/press/2003/01/ethiopia012403.htm

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2003/ethiopia0103/

two links that put stuff into prospective for me.

http://www.hrw.org/reports/2003/ethiopia0103/ethiopia0103-02.htm#TopOfPage

Hey Arial,

Thank you for the link. One thing I want to point out is that it would be great if we actually post information that is recent. In doing so, we can prevent any misunderstanding in regards to the current situation. As you have figured out, even from the recent news in regards to the student issue, there seem to be inconsistency in regards to the accuracy of the information. Also, for some reason, the stories make a big jump from one topic to another. For instance, while one of the article talks about Bhardar students corresponding with AAU University, the story concludes with information about the lack of bathroom facilities in 6 Kilo. My advice is, we really need to pay attention to out is being reported and how it is being reported, whether it is Private or Government media.

the reason i posted the links was to get brains ticking. i know it has been suggested that posting incouragement and such is getting us nowhere. it would be more helpful if ppl come up with suggestions.
and to come up with suggestions i found myself underinformed about the big picture. the second link especially set me on the right track, i was hoping it might do the same to others.