To: Professor Beyne Petros

From: Befekadu Terefe Retta
Cook County Election Department

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To: Professor Beyne Petros

From: Befekadu Terefe Retta
Cook County Election Department

Let me start by thanking you and your party for joining the parliament and work for those who voted for you and to be inclusive for those who did not vote for you. I applaud you for a courage and determination that you have taken to serve your constituency and your party at large. Your party is one of the progressive and willing to take a challenge and work within to make a difference by challenging the ruling party by agreeing in common causes and disagreeing on the issues that your party whole heartedly believes is wrong policy to pursue. Yes, you are a minority in the parliament. There will be a time when you will become a majority by working hard for those who elected you and for those who will follow you and believe on your agendas and ideas of good governance that you are going to provide to your citizens at large. I can assure you that you are not alone; there are many of us who admire you and encourage you on the leadership that you are contributing to your country. If I’m not mistaken, when you started you had 12 seats, now over 50. That in it self is an achievement. Great job!
I was in Ethiopia for two months to help the board of election as a capacity builder and to share my election expertise as a volunteer, by working with the board of election there was a time I met you and others their in a weekly forum. I can not thank you all enough for participating as a party and individual candidates to serve and democratize our mother land. With out your participation I would not be there. Some of us do agree that democracy is not smooth road it does have a bumpy road some do resist some do compromise some do loose the purpose and follow wrong direction. I’m sure this is not new for you with patience and perseverance it’s possible to reach half way of democracy. There are no 100% correct democracies in the world that we live in.

I have a few questions for you since you volunteered to take questions from public which is a great thing to do.
1. What is your next agenda for NEBE reform? Are you (party) are satisfied with the performance of the board if not do you have any suggestion to improve it?
2. For May 15th 2005 election all opposition parties agreed on seven of nine issues or rules and regulations, Are you satisfied on that or you want to continue to dialogue the issues? Can you please list them for readers?
3. When I was in Ethiopia I have been advocating through the media and news papers as well as magazines to name a few, Ethiopian Reporter, Ethiopian Herald and others how the board of election can be independent from the ruling party if the person in charge, he/she elected by the people as we do it in USA. Do you agree with this idea? And willing to push it through legislation for coming election to have a referendum on this issue?
4. What is your advice to Diaspora regarding to involving in local politics?
For more information I can be reached at befekaduretta@yahoo.com.

Good luck and best wishes,


P.S. To waltainfo.com Thank you for involving as with this kind of interviews. Please I would like to suggest the next guest official from Ethiopian Board of Election. Thank You.

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