Thursday, June 28, 2007  Will Ephrem Isaac please speak up?  (By
all EZ Post contributors)  The Ethiopian conception of
Shimgelena is very pragmatic. It has less to do with justice and
truth than crafting the conditions for coexistence. Thus, we say
that Shimagles have a right(and even an obligation) to lie, hide
the truth, and sometimes push one or the other party to accept
deals which may be objectively unjust(based on a careful
analysis of reality and balance of powers), to bring about
reconciliation. That was why, all contributors to EZ Post, had
no strong words against Professor Ephrem Isaac, the Chief
Shimagele, during the process of the negotiation between CUD
leaders and Meles, even though we firmly believed the prisoners
were at times under intense pressure to accept unjust terms in
the deal.  But Shimageles aren't absolute Machiavellian
amoralists. Their willingness to be less truthful and unjust has
limits. Today was the second time Meles Zenawi backed down from
a deal he agreed to in the past thre