Aiga could use its website in informing its audience about its insight and foresight about the prevailing political, economic and cultural conditions in Ethiopia. Instead it opts to quip with defamatory and vulgar tidbit comments on every piece of article it does not like. This few liner wisecracks has been the trademark of Aiga, which feeds into the culture of hate politics and zero sum game.

Let us look at its latest quips and wise cracks on Addis Fortune’s editorial
· Fortune and their rebels without cause.
· Repugnant that people who were either out of politics or supporters of the Dergue regime
· Say “Akake Zeraf, Man Kalegna Netsa Awche, making mockery of those who have tested the bitter pill of the "evil dergue regime".
· The Fortunes can't have their multi-party politicians, running on center-left and center-right positions and at the same time be "Freedom fighters" from "repressive, undemocratic regime".
· It would be shame on me if you fool me twice, if the government is "naive" enough to think that dergist and EPRP cultist are partners for democracy.
· Democracy comes with responsibility, respect for the institutions and the rule of the game.

I would like to believe that there is a free press in Ethiopia. Addis Fortune is in the press business with editorials and all with out a precondition of being a former ‘Tegadalay’ on one hand and not being a member of the Derg or EPRP. If there is such a condition on the free press to express itself then we are in trouble, unless one turns back the hands of time to go to the battle fields of Tigray or Wollo to claim his rights of free _expression of views.

If Aiga’s intention is to let us know a different point of view, the best way to do is by writing its own editorial with sufficient analysis without quips, wise cracks and vulgar rhetoric.

If Aiga’s intention is to silence the free press with quips, wise cracks and vulgar rhetoric we hope EPRDF is not heeding to such views, otherwise the democratic process is doomed

Aiga Comment: We accept the writer’s advice that we should have editorials, the small comments are not sufficient to convey message. Aiga wants a responsible press to foster in Ethiopia. Fortune is one of the many valuable sources of information. The comment is more directed at the so called "leaders" than Fortune. Vulgarity being relative, Aiga fails to see where the defamation is in the comment. The so called leaders are indeed "rebels with out Cause". Pre-election, Ethiopia has debates, the parties campaigned to the fullest and there was peaceful election. The so called leaders vicious campaign to portray the ruling party after the election is unwarranted. It is one thing to have difference of philosophies and political views. But it is another thing to act as fighter for freedom as if Ethiopia is communist Russia, as if the Ruling party has not shown its commitment for the free and fair election.

It is indeed repugnant for people to act as "gigna" at a time when there is freedom of speech, writing etc, when in fact they are silent or were an accomplice of the Derge era.

It was said "I know Kennedy..., and You are no Kennedy", Fortune can have its heroes but it can not change reality.

The bottom line is that we have to come to terms with the reality in Ethiopia. Either Ethiopia is on a democratic path with budding free press and multi-party or it is a repressive regime that needs to be overthrown. It is meaningless to speak of center-right, center left proclivity when one does not recognize the playing field and rules of the game.

The press can not be beneficiary of the system with out its readiness to protect it, correct it and strengthen it. Once again the government has to be smart and learn from last Election-know that there is no building of democracy without institutions. The guarantee for democracy is the rule of law and the awareness that neither the opposition nor the ruling party is above it. To think that one can build democratic system by legitimizing outlaws who don’t not even accept the constitution is to much on foolish endeavor. The government should be uncompromising in upholding the rule of law, increase its commitment with the opposition who are committed to play in the system, and foster forces who strengthen democratization while marginalizing forces who want to use the craving for building a democratic space to undo the very system.