Why should Ethiopia welcome an arch foe(Egyptian coptic Patirarch) ? This is the same church who made sure that Ethiopians never tilled their lands during fabricated holdiays so that the waters of the Nile were never utilised properly. The Crime of the Egyptian Coptic Chruch upon the people of Ethiopia has to yet to be fully researched. The Alexandria based Europeans( I doubt they are arabs or africans) were working on behalf of the Mehdis to make sure that Ethiopians were subservent to Egyptian interest. Proffesions like blacksmith, enterepeneurship and other trades were ostracized thanx to the Egyptian Coptics who were manipulating the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. While the Egyptian fellani was working day and night tilling what little land there was along the fertile Nile Delta, Ethiopians were looking down on handy folks who could have tripled the arable land or, at least, stopped the erosion of the top soil along its numerous rivers without which Egypt couldn't survive. So much for the fraternal nature of the Two people!

The comment by the anonym guy above is devoid of commonsense and is one good example of how the newborns mindset is. Who stopped us from cultivating our land? The Egyptians? The Egypt imposed holidays? Come-on!

If you look back in history, our country was one of the best places to live in the world and that period is the period in which the country was proudly calling itself the Christians Island and rightly so. Fast forward to 1950, and you know what changed since then. The image of the present day Ethiopia is the image it has since around 1950.

My compatriate dear Ethiopian:

I just read what you wrote regarding the visit of the Coptic Patriarch to Ethiopia, and wanted to forward a couple of points for your attention and understanding.

1. Let us differentiate religion from Politics. It is true that the relationship of Egypt and Ethiopia is one of the uneasy relationships between governments. But the coming of H.H. Pope Shenouda III, the spiritual head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, to Ethiopia has nothing to do with this. The Copts are the original natives of the country (Egypt) who have been supressed by the Arab majority in their own land. So what Muslim leaders have done on Ethiopia by no means should be applied to either the head of the Coptic Church or to its members.

2. It is true that while the Ethiopian Orthodox Church was under the Coptic Orthodox Church for about 16 Centuries, the Coptic bishops did not serve the former as they should, and at times there were bishops who mistreated the Ethiopian Church so that their failures have contributed to the current pathetic situation of the Ethiopian Church. However, BYGONES ARE BYGONES...the past is passed. And more importantly you cannot blame the current head of the Coptic Church, His Holiness Pope Shenouda, who is a very spiritual person and one of the Holy men of God in this era, for the wrongdoings of a few of his forefathers. Above all, as mentioned in the second comment, we have done nothing significant since 1959 G.C., the year the Ethiopian Church became autocephalous (independent) of the Coptic Jurisdiction (governanace). Thus, it is ourselves to blame for the failure of Ethiopia; no one else. Both the leaders of the Ethiopian Church and of the country as well are accountable for the current pitiable church and state condition in Ethiopia. Briefly let us focus on the lack of spirituality of the Ethiopian Church's clergy and on the bad governance of the country's leaders since the past century whenever there is a need to discuss on the downfall of Ethiopia, one of the oldest civilizations in the world.

Your Ethiopian Brother, HG

It will be foolish to assume that any Egyptian emissary has goodwill towards Ethiopia, be it the Pope or Musharaf. These are the same folks who helped dismantle part of our Country and as long as their livelihood depends on the Nile, we have to be cautious dealing with these folks who are financing all kind of anti Ethiopian elements from rengade Afewerki to those in Mogadisho. The issue isn't religion or the devout nature of the Pope frm Alexandria whose very existence is tied to the precious waters of the Nile. I have no problem with welcoming the Orthodox Popes of Greece, Istanbul or Moscow who don't have covert mission. But this one has a lugage some 1600 years deep. So long as most of our problems eminate from the intervention of the powers to be along the Lower Delta, be it Muslims or Orthodox, we will have to be weary. The fact that this guy mentioned Mengistu, by name, and went as far as to wish him well tells to the nature of his mission. Those naive folks who think otherwise will be judged by History. The crimes of Egypt upon the people of Ethiopia knows no boundry. I have no animosity towards these folks, but I have tressed most of our ills to them. As a matter of fact, I think it is time to discuss a possible Confederation with Egypt so that we will be able to cooperate in utilising the valuable waters of the Nile. This, logically, requires reciprocity on their side: 1. Total free access for Ethiopian fleet entering the Suez Canal( we can be a flag of conveinence for hundreds of ships who will save the tens of thousands of $$ they have to pay to pass through it) 2. Cooperation in afforestaion along the Blue Nile Gorge and its numerous tribiutaries 3. Non intervention in Ethiopian or Somalian affairs etc etc.

K Marx put it eloquently by stating that Religon is nothing but a tool in the hands of the ruling class. I aint a commie but, I will take his word at face value.