Ethiopia’s Future
I found it captivating to read Meles Zenawi’s column (Commentary, June 24).
For long, African leadership has suffered the inexplicable atrocities by the likes of Idi Amin (Uganda), Mohamed Siad Barre (Somalia) and Mengistu Haile Mariam (Ethiopia), who have left their nations in complete chaos and disintegration.
However, this time Zenawi’s fresh and ambitious policy calling for change may bring Ethiopia close to democracy and even serve as an example for the rest of Africa.
Zenawi has a difficult, painfully agonizing task ahead of him. To reconstruct Ethiopia from its ruins, to allay ethnic strife and bring about a lasting solution to finally end the thorny Eritrean problem will be painfully hard, but possible.
However, Zenawi and Ethiopia will need a lot of help from President Bush and the Western leaders.
I must add that Zenawi will also need the indivisible support from all Ethiopians if he is to give life to this war-torn, famine-ridden land.
DANIEL GIZAW
Tustin
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