Seattle Welcomed Medrek political Leaders
Assefa Gebrewold (Our Reporter from Seattle) April 10, 2010

Medrek leaders from Ethiopia namely Engineer Gizachew Shiferaw, Dr. Negaso Gidada, and Ato Gebru Asrat conducted a crucial meeting with more than 200 Seattle Ethiopian residents and residents from neighboring areas on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at Garfield Community Center. The meeting was very civil and familial. The members of the audience raised many important issues fundamental to Ethiopia and Ethiopians. The three Medrek leaders discussed in at great length openly and sincerely their political objectives and agenda. The Medrek leaders have answered questions about the nature of their alliance and party differences within Medrek. The leaders expressed their hopes that such kind of political arrangements will assure a new political thinking to forge a new paradigm. Thus the leaders appealed to all Ethiopians in Diaspora to learn and apply such approach respecting party differences even at individual level and work on points of common interest. It seems to this Reporter that our Ethiopia is rich in diverse culture and yet united in common historical bond, and such understanding only enhances our perspective to find a common solution for common 
problems.

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The leaders openly expressed the difficulties they face from financial and other roadblocks. Even though a political level field may look impossible in the upcoming election, it is doable because of the support of the Ethiopian people. The leaders assured the audience despite the EPRDF attempt through the state owned media to paint them as war mongering, they assured the audience that they are struggling to advance Ethiopian territorial integrity and to scrap the Algeria�s agreement. The issue of Asseb and Eritrea are going to be revisited in accordance with the dictates and principles of International law and practices. They projected confidence that Ethiopian sovereign and territorial rights will be respected under such applicable multilateral and bilateral treaties. A couple of individuals attempted to portray the collision of Medrek like oil and water and their program to struggle peacefully to win election as impossible task. However, the three Medrek Leaders answered swiftly that it is time that Ethiopians move forward and learn from their past mistakes to avoid new once.

Whatever is required from Medrek leaders to safeguard the interest of Ethiopia, they are ready to lay the foundation of democratic principles for the new generation with utmost sacrifices. The leaders assured the audience the struggle is all about Ethiopia�s future and about Ethiopians in order to lift all from poverty and illiteracy. They remained the audience in this day and age that millions of Ethiopians walk barefoot and live in utter destitution. The economic growth that is being boasted about by the Government day and night in the media only created a few wealthy individuals associated with the ruling party and millions of our citizens are still living in utter degradation and grinding poverty. The three Medrek Leaders appealed to the Diasporas Ethiopians to forge a unity based on mutual respect of individuals� ideas and remain united on a common cause to build a new political tradition that will bring us all closer to our political, social, and economic salvation.