Minister Junedine Sado is on his way out, becoming the first Minister to be sacked.

” In the Ethiopian bureaucracy, as we know it, the best a complainant can hope from an administrative appeal is a benevolent superior officer, who reverses the unjust decision, while reminding her that the problem wouldn’t have occurred if she had “behaved”. In the worst scenario, the case would simply be referred back, thereby leaving the complainant at the mercy of that same official. The rest of scenarios range between a sort of arbitration and negotiation. “

Irrespective of his whereabouts, however, Ali Abdu’s disappearance from public view in the last five months by itself points to a bigger picture. “Ali played a central role in one of the most oppressive governments on earth. The opacity that now surrounds his whereabouts is a symptom of more general problems in Eritrea, issues that have made life virtually impossible for much of the population- indeed, over a quarter-million Eritreans are living as refugees in surrounding countries”[

” Ethnic right issue has never been a problem in Eritrea, it is exaggerated by some but to tell you the truth all 9 ethnics in Eritrea have equal rights and all have offered their lives to the armed struggle [for independence], I can not see that Tigrigna speakers have more rights than the others. “

” When the rumors were rampant about his illness and wild speculations of his death, I have told people that if PM Meles were dead Ethiopians from North to South and from East to West would mobilize and grieve for days. And that is exactly what happened. “

” After the funds were collected several Easters have come and gone with Dr Birhanu and his friends still roaring from the mountains of US and Europe. As the empty promises of overthrowing the Ethiopian government within six months didn’t materialize Ginbot 7 leaders were facing mounting questions about their operations. Then this month came the announcement that they have formed a Ginbot 7 army. “

” There is no one answer that fits into a description of “independent media.” But the least is a media that doesn’t have to worry about whether or not a certain topic is the right topic to discuss in a professional manner. In other words, a media that, other than issues strictly to do with professional integrity, is not tangled by self-censorship and an imposing environment of fear. “

* In this digest,  a summary of outstanding developments of economic interest since late August.

” Your hypothesis is just a hypothesis – in fact, an outrageous one…..[It presupposes] that the ONLF was so potent militarily that it could even threaten the transition. Even [ONLF chief] Admiral Osman would not go that far. “

(By Merkeb Negash) “[i]f all comparative studies are viewed together, the hypothesis that there is.