I agree. The government should be involved in country like Ethiopia. We have a long way to go for everything to have laws to be govern with and people to learn the laws and respect them. For right now, the government should take responsibility to follow up on corrupted individuals if they exist.

Weither it is a free market or not in any country the government controls the price of basic commodity. for example in American the price of a loaf of bread does not increase without a say from the Fedreal Government. I do not know why our Government does not control prices and others like monopolistc tendecies in the market. it is to the benfit of the people and government too; plus citizens will trust their leaders.
--Golden Boy

the government needs to do a mix of both. it should appoint a special committe to see spoilers and those illegally raising prices to the extreme. american government does the same thing when people do this illegally and abnormally.
at the same time, it should study trends and use interventions that make economic sense to reduce inflation.
--hailu

Many has gone so far beyond the Limit with in the opposition camp in Ethiopia in the name of democracy. Democracy doesn't imply lawlessness or anarchism, rather the rule of the law. Business opportunities are created for the business men with the due consent of the government and the people to be governed. In return the business men and women should have an ethical business ethics that would help the mass in suppling what ever is demanded. Inline to this the government should take strong stance in bringing those crux business people to justice whenever they try to exercise in a way that those chew-berbere negade's did. Bringing to Justice should never be stopped with only the Negade's rather it should also go to the extent of the so called political opposition leaders too. For this eka-eka political approach should never also be tolerated.
--Sejum

This opinion is among the few I was so excited. I personally commented amid the turboil that the so called some literate opposition/members (although I also oppose what is wrong)are behind this game of very, very high inflation in Ethiopia. I comment this b/c I understand inflation can be manmade in countries like ours. It has been done in other countries. So, as economics verifies hoarding is one source of such crisis and the problem lies there. Then is it not the time to tell this greedy individuals to leave the way? How do one dare to come to power by the suffering and death of others at this time where the world looks to peaceful power transition? O! my God that is the old model of power taking. Let us leave it. If somebody is more clever than the other in attaining or retaining power, then let her do it without such atrocities that hurt many people, like attacking through the prices or hoarding. I am sure there was a lot of Berbere more than can be imagined in Ethiopia when it was song alcha millenium, due to high prices of berbere. So, pls Ethiopians be shaped and disciplined for the better of all. Thanks!
--Anonynous
<mailto:alut@hotmail.com>

In my opinion the gov't have to establish an immediate salt manufacturing factory in the Dallol salt deposit.let them keep their salt so they can understand that no one can hold the Ethiopian people as a hostage.let them keep it & the gov't has to let them know that there are other means. they will make it a big deal if our gov't force its way to confisicate whatever they are hiding.We have seen their menfeses,we have seen their Ethiopianess,Mr Bedru Adem said it all,I can't add anymore.in my my conclussion the gov't shouldn't touch them & the gov't should establish other means to supply enough berbere & salt,then they will eat their salt for themselves.but the gov't has to know who is hiding what & let them keep their property & they have to know that they will never get away with it.thank you...

the government should get involved.
--concerned ethiopian
<mailto:destagoitom@yahoo.com>

In west it is legal to keep comodities for better profits in the future. We can't be governed by less standard rules ang regulations. You can't improve markets by using force, but by improving competition and promoting investments.

Let's not politicise everything. I can not rule out the possblity that some nasty exile or opposition part members may have their hand in it but the matter is very serious and more than that. The country has fallen into the hands of Delalas (brokers). There are thousands of big store houses and they are pilling up all their goods thereand then they call their agents to sell at no less than the fixed price and amazingly within an hour or so, the nations shops behave like that. They tried with cement, it worked well, they tried oil, berbere all worked well to their advantge and now there is no end to it. They have proven to themselves that government is soft and has its own preoccupation. I guess it is time to take yemayadagim ermija against this hynas.

Some of you government supporters you don't stop amazing me. How on earth an opposition which doesn't even have a unity with in it can have this much power and influence a price of salt and berbere in a country as vast as ethiopia? why don't you atleast for once be sensible and tell the party you are so in love with to act like a government and stop behaving like a group of MENDER DUREYEs. The only reason the price hike has started was as a punishment of the urban ppl as they said no to their childish game.

The government is not DURYE your party are DURYES and it is approved... If the government interfers you would call the same any way...

Viva EPRDF

Let the government step in by creating its own distribution market at a lower price. Then the crooks will be force to bent at the mercy of market price.

ወድ አዘጋጅ
ሰሞኑን በተከሰተው የጨው ዋጋ ከታለመው በላይ መናርን አስመልክቶ አስተያየት መጠየቁ ጥሩ ቢሆንም ጥያቄው መሆን የሚኖርበት የሃገሪቱ መንግስት የሚከተለው የኢኮኖሚ ፖሊሲ ትክክል ነው ወይ ቢባል የተሻለ ነበረ ሆኖም ካለኝ ተመክሮ በመንሳት የሚከተለዉ አቀርባለሁ

ወያኔ ስልጣን ላይ ከወጣ ጀምሮ በምሁራን ሲጻፍ ሲነገር የነበረው ያልተጠና ፖሊሲ ህዝብ ላይ መጫን ወደፊት ምን ያመጣል ብለው ለማያስቡ ጌቶችህ አሁን የሚታየው ሰርገኛ መጣ በርበሬ ቀንጥሱ ካልሆነ በስተቀር ከ1983 ጀምሮ የተበላሽ ሁኔታ ነጸብራቅ ስለሆነ አሁን በዱላ በስር ወይም በአዋጅ ለመግታት ትንሽ የዘገየ ይሆናል
የኢትዮጵያ የኢኮኖሚ ፖሊሲ በዝርዝር ሲታይ ራእይ ያልነበረው በየወቅቱ የተደረተ የሃሳብ ስብስብ ከመሆን ባሻገርበ ጥናት የተሰራ አይደለም በመሆኑም ወቅቱ ሲደርስ የሚፈነዳ ቦምብ እንጂ ሃገርን ለድገት ለብልጽግና ብሎም ህዝብን ለማጋልገል የተነደፍ ባለመሆኑ የአሁን ክስተት የሚያስገርም አይደለም

ከላይ ያነሳሁትን ሃሳብ ለማጎልበት ወያኔ በሽግግር ወቅትም ሆነ ከዚያ ወዲህ የተከተላቸው የኢኮኖሚ መርሆችን መገምገም ያስፈልጋል በመሆኑም ሁለት መሰረታዊ ነገሮችን ብቻ መመልከት ይበቃል
1. ወያኔ መንግስት ነኝ ብሎ ስልጣን እንደተቆናጠጠ ምንም ቅድመ ሁኔታን ሳያገናዝብ በደርግ ብቻ ተቁአቁአሙ የሚላቸውን የአገልግሎትም ሆነ የአምራች ተቁአማት ማፍረስ አንድም በቀል አለያም ከአለም ባንክ ያገኘዉን ብድር ለማስለቀቅ ብቻ የተደረጉ እንጂ እነዚህን የሚተካ ተቁአም ወይን ኢንፍራስትራክቸር አለመዘርጋቱ ዋነኛው እዉርነት ከመሆኑም ባሻገር የራሱን ግልገል ድርጅቶች በመመስረት ለመተካት መሞከሩ አሁን ያለንበት አዘቅት ዉስጥ ከከተቱን ዋና ዋናዎቹ ናቸው
ከዚህ ባሽገር ወያኔ የኢትዮጵያን የንግድ ስራት የነጋደዉን ስነልቦናዊ ኩነት ብሎም ንግድ እንዴ እንደሚካሀድ ለይቶ መገንዘብ አለመቻል ለተጠከሰው የዋጋ ንረት የበኩሉን አስተዋጽዎ አድረጉአል
ወያኔ የዘረጋው የኢኮኖሚ ፖሊሲም ቢሆን ነጋዴው በዉድድር እንዲሰራ ሳይሆን ወያኔን እስከደገፈ ድረስ በህዝቡ ላይ የሚደርሰዉን ከመጤፍ ስላልቆጠረው የተከሰት እንጂ አሁን በአንድ ወቅት የተከሰት አድርጎ ቡራከረዩ ማለቱ ራስን ማታለል ነው

የአንድ ሃገር የኢኮኖሚ ፖሊሲ የፖሊቲካ ሂደቱ ነጸብራቅ እንጂ በራሱ የሚቆም ሰዉነት የለዉም በመሆኑም ምንም የሃሳብ መግለጫ መድረክ በሌለበት ሃገር የኢኮኖሚው አካሄድ እንዴት እንደሆነ የሚያመላክት ፍንጭ ለማግኘት የተወሳሰበ መሆን አፈትልከዉም ቢወጡ ከጸረ ህዝብነት የሚፈረጁ መሆን አካሄዳቸዉን ለመተንበይ አዳጋች ነው በመሆኑም አሁን ሃገሪቱ ዉስጥ የተከሰተው ከዚህ መሰረት ሃሳብ የወጣ ስላይደለ አሁንም ልብ ያለዉ መንግስት ቢሆን ኖሮ ማስተካከሉን የሚጀምረው የፖሊካ ሂደቴ ትክክል አይደለም ወይ ስለዚህ ህዝብ ምን ይላል በማለት ይጀምራል ሆኖም ያለው መንግስት እነዚህን መሰረት ሃሳቦች ከማየት ይልቅ ኢኮኖሚየ በዚህ ፐርሰንት አደገ ይህን ያህል ተመረት እንዲህ ሆነ ከማለት ዉጭ ያደረገው ስለሆነ አሁን የታየው የሚገርመው ወያኔንና ሎሌዎቹን ብቻ ነው
2. በኢትዮጵያ ከ1983 ጀምሮ አንድ ምርት እንዴት ዋጋው እንደተወሰነ ባመላክት ደግሞ የተሻለ ስለሚሆን እንደሚከተለው አቀርበዋለሁ
በስራ አጋጣሚ ቅርበት ስለነበረኝ የመጀመሪያ የስኩዋር ጨረታ ሲደረግ የተመልለትኩትን ላንሳና ለደምድም
ስኩዋር ወያኔ ሲገባ በህግ ብር 1.85(ይህ ከማምረቻ ዋጋው 5% በላይ ነው) የነበረ ቢሆንም በጥቁር ገበያ እስከ ሶስት ብር ይሽጥ ነበር በመሆኑም የጥቁር ገበያዉንና የአምራቹን ዋጋ በገበያ ለመወሰን ስምምነት ተደርሶ ለጨረታ ቀረበ በወቅቱ ብር 2.65 ከፍተኛ ዋጋ ስለነበረ ሽያጩ ተፈጸመ በሁለተኛው ጨረታ ወቅት በዛ ያሉ አከፋፋዮች በትርፉ ተስበው በመሳተፋቸው የቀረበው ዋጋ ብር2.35 ሆነ ሆኖም በወቅቱ ለጨረታ የቀረበዉን መጠን ሙሉ በሙሉ ለማስረከብ ግን ከአቶ ለመለሰ ቢሮ በተሰጠ ትዛዝ መሰረት ሳይከናወን ከርቶ 2500 ኩንታል ለአዲሲቱ ሃገር ፓርቲ(ኤርትራ) ተለደለና ተሰጠ ሆኖም ከመርካቶ ሳይወጣ መርካቶ ላሉ ነጋዴዎች ተሸጠ በብር 4.35 ከዚህ በሁዋላ ስኩዋር አባት አግኝቶ ለተወሰነ ጊዜ በጨረታ ዉድድር መሸጡ ተስተጉውጉሎ አዲሱ ተረካቢ ገበያዉን ተቆጣጠረው ታዲያ ይህ የሚያመለክተን ምንድን ነው? አሁን ጉድ ያፈላዉን ጨዉንም ብንመለከተው እቁቡ ተበልቶ ካለቀ በሁዋላ ያሁኑ ዱላ የሚያርፍባቸው ጸረ ...ጸረ....ጸረ... ወዘተ የሚወገዙትም ቢሆን ቅድመ 97 አብረው ይሞዳሞዱ የነበሩ በአሁኑ ወቅት ግን ትንሽ ግንዛቤ አግኝተው ሃገሪቱ ወደት እየተጉዋዘች ነው ብልው ጥያቄ የሚያነሱት ላይ ያተኮረ እንጂ ባለሙዋሎችንማ ማን ጠይቆ
ስለዚህ ዉድ አዘጋጅ ቢችሉ አቶ ለገሰ ዜናዊን ቆም ብለው እንዲያስቡ ምክር ብጤ ቢለግሱዋቸው አለያም ለምክር ቤቱ አሜሪካ ህዝብን ለመግደልና ለመጨፍጨፍ በምትሰጠን ድርጎ ምትክ ጨው እንድትልክልን ማመልከቻ እንዲያከርቡ ይምከሩዋቸው
በቸር ይደሩ
--hammocho
<mailto:chillalo@gmail.com>

hammaocho what are you saying you are lost!You are telling us about your Hate!!!!Stick on the idea!!!Or can´t you read english????????

According to reports of National BANK of Ethiopia the monetary expansion continued to increase money supply by 2.0 percent to 2.9 percent on monthly and annual bais.

The managing director of IMF Takotashi Kato said stong econimc growth had prompted influationary pressures, widened the trade deficit and reduced internationl reserves.

Then we have to see the price of raw materials right now in Ethiopia then we could try to understand why we are facing a price hike.

Prevvious price New pric
Teff 500 600
Berbere 200 1000
Salt 2birr/kg 10
Other cereals and pulses increased from 30 to 50 birr.

Then the whole issue could be that the demand has increased because a lot of people get money while the supply didn't change or it has made a little change and that little change is not enough to satisfy the demand.


The governemtn should consider to decrease the economical growth in order to control the inflation which is around 20 percant right now.

On the other hand there are merchants who love to fix a price which is illegal at list here in scandinavian and those people should be punshed for that.
--Abi
<mailto:mike_abi2002@yahoo.com>

I agree. The government should be involved in country like Ethiopia. We have a long way to go for everything to have laws to be govern with and people to learn the laws and respect them. For right now, the government should take responsibility to follow up on corrupted individuals if they exist.

--The government should be involve
<mailto:ambasajerhailu@yahoo.com>

Man thanks to EPRDF I QUIT SCHOOL at 10 grade due to alot of problems.(does this reply your Question about my English language).
The second issue for sure i am not lost but it is your vision which losses the line or argument,is that you mean i have only to focus on salt irrespective of other things surrounding it? if so you can stick to you idea and if you do not want to see such opinions please do not raise the issue.

The issue you brought up is basically the escalating price of salt but my argument is that this is the reflection of the ill concept of the government about its economic policy.
In any country the economic policy is part of the political vision so what is your myopic question? If you could clearly see what is happenening now as to me it is not by hording salt or other produce what brought the price escalation but it is the result of the blind folded economic poliy.
In order to reduce or normalise prices one state can take measures but it is a futile excercise to bring prices down with such measure. It is wise to learn from it and go back to square one and revised the ill rules,regulations and policies in overall economy.

--hammacho
<mailto:chillalo@gmail.com>

Dear Aiga,
It's my strongest conviction that in countries like Ethiopia, where greed is beyond comprehension, the government has to tighten up the loose screws. These corrupted officials who are helping these blood suckers fulfill their dream of robbing the people in day light should pay the price. I believe it is overdue for the government to interfer in order to stabilize the market. Dear fellow Ethiopians, don't get confused with the terms FREE MARKET and PRICE JACKING ILLEGALLY. In real free market, prices fluctuate depending on demand and supply. In this case, once prices are set up, either they stay the same or increase regardless of the supply.
Therefore, although late, the government has to regulate the market and take decisive measures against the greedy traders.
--Haile

Hamaaacho go to school whay stay in 10th grade?????

I definetely believe the government should be involved in the economy when the need arises. We are not well developoded nation where the market always correct itself overtime. There are many very greedy and politically motivated merchants trying to destabilize the economy to achieve thier ill conceived motives.
Viva EPRDF. heir should be prosecuted and in fact their business licenses should also be revoked.
The government should take a clear and decisive stand against these perperators.

--Ambesaw

Hammocho,this is not derg's era.you don't have any idea to talk about economy in our country.the gov't in Ethiopia is doing fine except some individuals who believe "ene kelelehu serdo'm ayibqel" are the only ones who doesn't care if the Ethiopian people are wronged by them.therefore Ethiopian gov't has to bring these individuals & give a severe panishment.especially,this is an ester time & our people needs alots of berbere. the Ethiopian people have to know who really is doing this unEthiopian evil doings.never ever will your greedy dream will succed again. take it like that no one can suck his/her own mother's milk after growth. what Ethiopia is going through is a process of growth & will never be dragged back to your ugly dream.your greedy dream will never come true & definitely you will see a shame for what you did & for what you are doing.shame on these greedy negades,with EPRDF everthing is possible.

I think the government has the obligation to enact and enforce anti-hoarding laws especially when it comes to vital commodities like food. Enacting rational anti-hoarding law is NOT simple and many economists regard such laws as irrational reactions to market forces. The government needs to be very clear in defining what is considered to an “excessive” hoarding and for which commodities (I think it should be limited to food commodities) the law will apply. Ethiopia will not be the first country to enact anti-hoarding laws. Countries like India and Bangladesh (and many others) have enforced anti-hoarding laws. In Bangladesh for example, they have identified nine items (including wheat, rice, lentil, sugar, edible oil, onion, and milk powder) that are targeted by their anti-hoarding policy limiting retailers and wholesalers the amount and time they could keep such commodities in stock. Excessive hoarding results in very high prices restricting poor people from having access to commodities especially food items that are vital for their survival. The government should come in their defense.

The next important question is what actions should the government take on retailers and wholesalers breaching the anti-hoarding policy? I think this a very sensitive matter and all care should be taken to avoid disproportionate measures (remember what the infamous Dergi did to prevent “hoarding”— it mercilessly killed innocent businessmen on allegations of hoarding). More sensible governments like India enforced use of rationing, confiscation, and requisitioning in 1943/4.

The government should also be more serious to stem pervasive corruption in the country. Corrupt government officials are equally, if not more, responsible for the excessive hoardings of essential commodities by wholesalers. The wholesalers are hoarding with the protection of corrupt government officials. To the Ethiopian government, I would say Gezakum atsriyu (clean your house).
--Haben

I definetely believe the government should be involved in the economy when the need arises. We are not well developed nation where the market always correct itself overtime. There are many very greedy and politically motivated merchants trying to destabilize the economy to achieve thier ill conceived motives.
Viva EPRDF. They should be prosecuted to the fullest and their business licenses should also be revoked.
The government should take a clear and decisive stand against these perperators.

--Ambesaw

aiga please remove these double & triple posts.it is happenning purposely.thank you aiga,you are doing magnificient job!!!

The concept that Market will solve itself is inherently flawed. Human beings will always continue to demonstrate greed and selfish attitude. Therefore, if it is left unchecked, it will lead to the powerful engulfing the powerless. Of course, there are mechanisms to tame this selfish and brute attitude by being more God Fearing in your dealings, but if for some reason this is out of the equation, strong government intervention is in order. The action taken to bring down the price of salt is a clear demonstration of an effective government role in the affairs of the state.
--Aman

I am not sure what government intervention mean? Put all traders in jail or shoot them! I hope this is not what some of the opinions suggest with militaristic tone of writing ….

In my opinion it all boils down to a calculated and strategic view on the economy taking into account the international condition and other internal macro/micro economic elements to come up with a policy that stimulates the supply side of the economy and help it to catch up with demand ... this is an area that we should carefully look into.

Of course there is a lag due to the physical constraints for supply to catch up with demand and result in a correction in prices. The lag in general is a function of current production capacity. If there is excess capacity the lag normally is short as it involves right policies to stimulate factory/farm production line to increase production. This kind of lag I presume will not be more than 1-2 years at max adding production and distribution lags together....

But as we all know the production capacity itself is a function of technology, labour and capital. And for a country like Ethiopia there is an obvious hole in this area to be filled through time via right policies. The lag in this case could be more than few years ….

By the way where are those economists and planning people and statisticians ... do we know the factory/farm gate price ... and the value added in the chain and the percentage of profit that the traders up in the chain are reaping of the consumer. By mere fact our fact collection machinery and reliability of data is not good but at least at this age of computerized world we are in good position to generate reliable data to foster our analysis of the current situation... Based on facts and carefully taking into account long-term view on development may be some short term measure might be put in place. Like for instance among others considering temp price cap, careful rationing at factory/farm gate, increase competitive trading via short term policies such as introducing punitive taxes on traders who monopolise either production or distribution lines and subsidise small scale distribution centres either through a relief in tax or controlled lower price at factory/farm gate (redistribution of profit … namely; sharing the current high level profit amongst the small/big traders and consumers which consumers profit is realised through lower prices that will be a result of policies that promote competitive trading)…. I know all these requires some sort of government intervention but at least this intervention is worth doing it as it strengthens our capability of rationally controlling the economy and will have a long term benefit. These and other short term measures might enable us to correct the current price but this shouldn’t and must not divert our attention from the real thing namely; increasing our capability and capacity to increase the supply side with the right supply side policies may be fostered by demand side policies for short term effect.

Even if politics is a concentrated form of economics, I strongly inclined to argue that both the opposition and the government's economic policy should be geared to alleviate the misery of the people in Ethiopia.... and pave the way for further development. And on this there could be points of disagreement but this is all for the good of the economy. Let us move away from the blame culture as like suggesting the traders are siding with the opposition type of thing … of course they can side as this is democracy … but to suggest that they are using their position to result in a negative material effect on the economy is a serious allegation and should be supported with fact followed with appropriate measure. But before all this I believe that even if this is the case, we should be smart in addressing it …. Like coming up with the right policies and deny them the opportunity to harm the economy ….

Whether or not you believe it, the croocked opposition do not believe in democracy and they consider democratic experience as foolish things they can exploit to perform and advance their sinister plan. Protect the poor of Ethiopia by taking measures that discourage greed and chaotic social order. the crooked opposition is a never-learning entity of feudals and faciests.

Dear Hammacho,
Am I reading you right if I conclude from your writing that you do not think it was the right thing to do for the EPRDF government to privatize derge built companies? And also that you do think EPRDF policy is the reason for the current absurd price hike?

Though EPRDF as a governing party should take a share of the blame and success story of the Ethiopian economy these days, I am not sure EPRDF policy is to blame in the current chew-berbere fiasco. The government did all it can to allow the private sector to flourish. It is my sincere belief that only the success of the private sector will guarantee Ethiopia to overcome its economic woes. The government can ill afford to quash the private sector now, what it should do is guide them and help them to be successful. This is in no way to say that every greedy and corrupt business person should be left unchecked to cause harm to the economy. Chew production or berbere production as afar as I can tell does not depend heavily like other commodities on hard currency or international market situations. Even if they are in some ways the government should considered such items critical to the economy and wellbeing of the nation as such it must protect price fluctuation. The US and other countries as many said it before me have such mechanism on key items.

The current scenario is the best argument for the much talked about "developmental State" model the Prime Minister passionately argues about. The pitfalls of free market and marketers are too dangerous when there are no institutions and robust manufacturing plants to overcome the supply. Assume the price of berebere was due to demand. The solution then would have been for some one to produce berbere more. But in Ethiopia it is the small farmer that owns the means of production and such farmers can not scale their production. That is the reality now! What would a state do in this case allow the rich and famous to enjoy berbere or to intervene and subsidies the price for the poor? My take is neither, the state should come in and check what aspect of the berbere production cause the price hike and check if this is not clearly a case of greed and not demand. I think the case of chew berebere is a case of greed and not policy.

--Zeru Hagos

These price hikes did not appear from nowhere, it is the work of saboteurs who are trying to undermine the Government. How is it possible a home grown and readily accesible commodities such us salt and pepper are vanishing from the market? the government should address these issues by taking a decisive action against those would be saboteurs and their accomplices once for all.

You all remeber the Facist Derg when they lined up those Berbere Merchants and killed them it send the message for future would be sabouters and profiters, I am not advocating the killing of people, but we have to send a clear message by taking harsh measures.

God Bless Ethiopia!!!

--Gashaw Mekete

Prices had started to unexpectedly skyrocket immediately after that so called election of 2005 with suger as the front runner. Since then that has become the common practice. Especially during the last three four months it has been icreasing in rates no one could really and honestly give explanation to. What happens is that a group of traders or whatever their name conspire and fix very high increases every month. There may be some cry and half hearted lame action by gov't and the price settles at a little reduced one from what they fixed and people seem to get some comfort by that and then it remains there. In the last 3-4 months this has been happening every month and what you have now is a half kilo of pata that was some 3 birr becoming 8 birr!!!Now there is no settling at all!!! increasing indefinitly, continuously.
My response to your question is "GREED!LIMITLESS GREED!!!". Do you say there is market in Ethiopia? No there is no market. I am surprised when people talk of supply, demand bla bla. What is there is only manipulation to satisfy unsatisfiable greed. Yes!
Two facors have made it favourable for people to be the victims of this greed. 1)passivity-people simply grumble at the sudden increases of prices and pay what they are asked most probably by reducing the amount they intended to buy. There is no organizing, no opposition, no pressure on traders and government. At times some people try to buy more "le kifu qen" by crushing any other program they have. An example is the talk that people queued to buy salt for 7 birr a kilo thinking it would further increase and it is said,just an example, a woman bought 20kg of salt just for family consumption of an average family size. You can see how this plays into the hands of greed.
The other reason is government response to the trend. Let alone take effective precautionary measures to curb at least the more visible manifestations of the greed, gov't officials from the topmost to the little official at the kebele tried to rationalize it on the growth of the economy, farmers' millioneership bla bla. This again played very well into the hands of greed. Now the perception and gossip is that government is powerless and helpless. Despite the loud talk about accountability no one in the country is accountable to his/her actions. The talk is that everyone who has the slightest opportunity to rob,embezzle, cheat and gain is focussing in doing so. Gossip has it that the officials whom ato Meles gatthers in his meetings and lectures upon (ministers,party officials,what have you) mokingly stick out their tongues from behind when the meetings disperse.Do you see what that means and implies? A looming general crisis and chaos.
Of course,
The Reporter's editorial has added a political dimension to the problem. That is also a possibility. But who will give solution to it? TPLF/EPRDF have become old, tired, and platueaed. The usefull enthusiasm, dedication, commitmint they had, whatever their mistakes, have vanished due to age, NO!NO!NO! City life and creeping greed. And there is no better replacement forseable.
GOD SAVE THIS UNFORTUNATE COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE. MAY THEIR WISDOM PREVAIL!

We don't have a system that corrects itself and government interference is a necessity for economical and political reasons (Addis Ababa residents think that the government is punishing them since they voted overwhelmingly for the late CUD). If government stands on the side and watch, it makes sense for a resident of Addis to assume he/she is being punished.

I think every one missing the point we don't need salt and berbere... if fact salt is very bad for your body.

Anyhow if you want to control this kind of thing. the govt. should not use force they can use their economy power to under cut their price... the govt. can buy a big amount of sale and sale it for cheaper price and under cut the price... not only for short time put until they are out of business... before the govt. does this he must tell them what is coming to them.

Eveb berbere it only take 3 month to grow berbere if the berbere saler refused to sale at the reasonable price then the govt should use their economic power to farm a big land berbere since the govt. doesn't pay tax or pay for the land and can implment modern means of techology they can UNDER CUT AND berbere terrist price...

one more thing do you know why the American dirnk coffee not tea?

The answer is tea is cotroled by the England. At that time the England used to send a shipment of tea... when the incearsed the price of tea the American use to dirnk tea started fighting back and burn the whole city and refused to buy tea from England after that.

By point is The American use the tea altarantive instead of fighting with England after that the American develp their own test so that they will never be dependent again..

Let look they American use 120 v while the rest of the world use 240 v

The American play foot ball instead of soccer otherwise the would have being dependent on Engand to provid them with national pass time... Look Ethiopian since we are dependent on foot ball or soccer we buy tv from England every weekend our nation pass time become admiring the England football team then ours.

finialy look what are the American going to do about OIL they are finding altarnative... to oil and that what our gov. should do altarnative.

EAT FISH you don't need berbere for that eat RICE you don't need teff for that it replace teff... but the whole 70 million people EAT THE SAME KIND OF FOOD then the price will go up
--U DON&#39;T NEED SALT

I think every one missing the point we don't need salt and berbere... if fact salt is very bad for your body.

Anyhow if you want to control this kind of thing. the govt. should not use force they can use their economy power to under cut their price... the govt. can buy a big amount of sale and sale it for cheaper price and under cut the price... not only for short time put until they are out of business... before the govt. does this he must tell them what is coming to them.

Eveb berbere it only take 3 month to grow berbere if the berbere saler refused to sale at the reasonable price then the govt should use their economic power to farm a big land berbere since the govt. doesn't pay tax or pay for the land and can implment modern means of techology they can UNDER CUT AND berbere terrist price...

one more thing do you know why the American dirnk coffee not tea?

The answer is tea is cotroled by the England. At that time the England used to send a shipment of tea... when the incearsed the price of tea the American use to dirnk tea started fighting back and burn the whole city and refused to buy tea from England after that.

By point is The American use the tea altarantive instead of fighting with England after that the American develp their own test so that they will never be dependent again..

Let look they American use 120 v while the rest of the world use 240 v

The American play foot ball instead of soccer otherwise the would have being dependent on Engand to provid them with national pass time... Look Ethiopian since we are dependent on foot ball or soccer we buy tv from England every weekend our nation pass time become admiring the England football team then ours.

finialy look what are the American going to do about OIL they are finding altarnative... to oil and that what our gov. should do altarnative.

EAT FISH you don't need berbere for that eat RICE you don't need teff for that it replace teff... but the whole 70 million people EAT THE SAME KIND OF FOOD then the price will go up
--U DON&#39;T NEED SALT

AIGA, allow me to disect the subliminal messages , a consistent one that has been promoted by your web site:
1. Greedy Traders who support the opposition are the conspirators.

TRANSLATION: THE GURAGES. YOUR DISLIKE OR EVEN WORST, YOUR HATE FOR GURAGES HAS ALWAYS BEEN OBVIOUS. FYI: THE DERG DID THE SAME THING. WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE LAST LAUGH. ENJOY.
--LastLaugh
<mailto:LastLaugh@yahoo.com>

Definitely I would agree that the government has involve PARTIALLY in stabilizing the market of the country. Limiting the price may also have negative effect on the merchants who have to get more profit. For they are the potential investors in the country.

Thus, there should be some degree of freedom to create more reach people and thereby create domestic investors who will have an effect in creating stable economy.

Determining the minimum and maximum price of food items like in EU countries can benefit the farmers and the consumers. However, this is effective after having stable economy. Thus, while there is demand for fast growth, setting price limits have very negative impact. It is a trade off between rate of development and present stable price. IN ANY CASE PARTIAL GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT WILL SENSIBLE STRATEGY.

I read alot of senseful assessment in here.eventhough we are sending messages to everyone who have a concenrs about the situation,we never envolved ourselves physically.If we simply talk & go until another article arrives then we are giving a chance to some greedy politicaians & merchants.Instead of getting well organized & establish some organized power that can help us to send our messages to the gov't to do better & to the so called opposition group to stop going the wrong way. we should ask the gov't if there are alternative way to solve the problem other than to force the merchants to bring out their merchandize.sincerely

I don’t understand why some argue that Government intervention is not required to tame price hikes that come as a result of market manipulation by greedy business people with the support of corrupt government officials. You may argue all you all you want, but not in the name of free market! In a free market milieu, buyers and sellers do not hoodwink each other— this is one of the basic tenets of free market. For a free market to become efficient, a high degree of transparency is one of the prerequisites.

The price hike in some vital commodities in Ethiopia, such as salt, is due to unfair business practices of some greedy people. The government should intervene to curb manipulation of the market by some greedy businessmen/women and corrupt government officials.
--Haben

yes,the government must get involved;that is undisputable.But,how?What shall the government do?
--bik

State intervantion is not some thing new in a radical orieinted economy.The government must intervien and correct market failiers .I believ that is what EPRDF economic policy is all about."Areso aderun meaklawi yaderege ekonomi enketelalen". Radical and as the same time Revolutinary democrats should follow the same economic policy in africa four that matter like EPRDF has taken in Ethiopia inorder to see economic growth by 6.8- 11% annualy. Due to this sercumstances the Ethiopian government has taken a correct measure against economic speculaters and greedy profiters.
--Anonymus
<mailto:Belachew.mengesha@comhem se>

All those who governed in Ethiopia in the past six decades have failed to tend to the hardships suffered by the masses who are represented and personified by "Citzen Habesh."A colse inspection of the modern Imperial Era,1941-1974(Zemene Mekuanint),the period of the self-styled Marxist Junta(Zemene Serawit),and the current era which some racist bullshits like to call "Zemene Dedebit" clearly proves this fact.
During these decades successive regimes which have dominated the Ethiopian political picture have done their best to create a short list of rich people by providing them with incridible incentives,special quotas and easy loans.So they first created a rich class who usually live in Addis and its environs and then they gave them more state help to make them even richer.Thus,the rich became richer,the poor became poorer but the sad part is the fact that "Citizen Habesh" and the million of people like him who remain crushed under the weight of economic hardships account for more than 75 percent of the population.
Confronted with serious economic ills,the EPRDF government is trying to blame every one while it fails to see its own incompetent officials are at the heart of the matter.Now we are being told the current inflation is "demand pull" and not "cost push".This means that the well-off corrupted chew berbere negades of Addis Ababa are culprits of rising inflation.What a tragi-comic accusation?!Who created this self-centerd greedy pieces of shit?Are they not the products of the corrupted system?
It seems Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was misled by his economic aides over the causes of the latest jump in inflation.What is sad,of course,is that while our policy makers at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development are busy expermenting on the economy,the poor people of Ethiopia,led by "Citizen Habesh",are the ones who are being pushed further in to deprivation and hardships.
Enough to this obsolet blame the other culture!EPRDF and the opposition parties in our Parliament should device policies to address these hardships.Yet,all parties can do today is to make empty promises to the people who clearly despise them.Colourful speeches and promises do not fill empty stomachs and pockets.If this trend continues "Citizen Habesh" and millions of Ethiopians like him will teach these parties a lesson in the April Local Election.No one will vote for a party which has denied him/her a gram of chew and berebere!
--Mahmud Habeshi

The govenment must step in agressivelly and decicively to stop this declared WAR ON THE POOR....


--Dawit
<mailto:dawit_26@yahoo.ca>

This is noy a natural development or effect of market econokmy, it is rather the result of some people artificialy manupilating and sabotaging the free market, anticpating to create havoc and desturb the relative peace and harmony this government has brought about. Of course the government needs to act and see to it that the responsibel people are punished!
--Kassa

There is no question that the recent development of in price hike and scarcity of most essential commodities is not an isolated incident caused just by few selfish traders. This is an organized crime of well calculated economic war waged by a section of the so-called opposition groups. In actual fact, it is part and parcel of the perpetrators’ over-all program and working-plan attached to Election-2005. The perpetrators pre-Election2005 plan has three phases namely A, B, and C.
Phase-A has three goals/aims. The first one is participating in the Election-2005, in the name of peaceful competition, and mobilize as many unsuspecting Ethiopians as possible to prepare them to participate in the execution of Phase-A and Phase-B - in due time. The second aim was to disqualify the result of the elections in order to convince Ethiopians that the EPRDF would not allow free and fair competition therefore the only option is eliminating the ruling party by means of armed struggle. The third aim is to expose to the international community and donor governments - particularly the US and EU - that the EPRDF is the “worst violator of human rights”. We have all seen how this phase was accomplished during the last election, though it backfired against the perpetrators.
Phase B focuses on economic sabotage, which we are witnessing at the present time, by creating scarcity of essential commodities such as berebere, salt, teff, etc. so that people would revolt and join the perpetrators to overthrow the ruling party by all means available.
Phase-C is designed to focus on waging armed struggle rearing Eritrea. This is what the Hailu Shawel/Taye W.Semayat CUDP-faction and Iyasu Alemayehu/Fasika Belete EPRP-faction are preparing for the next show.
The Ethiopian government must seriously consider and treat the current shortage of essential items from markets and price rises purely political, and not a mere move of selfish traders and/or a result of changes in economic structure, and wage uncompromised counter offensive against the saboteurs. This does not mean that some selfish traders would not exploit the existence of scarcity of essential commodities, created by the saboteurs, and sell supplies at higher prices. But, the real marrow is in the bones of the organized criminals, the disguised opposition politician saboteurs, who have created the fertile ground for the selfish traders.
Although the concerned government authorities must closely monitor these selfish traders, of-course some of these are also members/supporters of the opposition/saboteurs, it must be known to all of us very clearly, that these selfish traders are simply our secondary targets. Our main focus must be on the primary target, i.e. the organized saboteurs made up of a particular section of the opposition led by CUDP-Hailu/Taye and EPRP-Iyasu/Fasika and also few elements from other opposition groups.
These spineless criminals that are making the life of our citizens very difficult must be apprehended and brought to justice and be served heavy punishment tantamount to a punishment that is awarded to criminals with an act of treason. As the renowned psychologist, Dr. Phil McGraw, said: “if you chose the behaviour, you also chose the consequences” and therefore these enemies of our people have chosen a deadly behaviour and must be paid with their own currency.


--Concerned_Citizen
<mailto:ayaheh@hotmail.com>

The piece by "Concerned_Citizen" posted above is really worth taking it seriously. It has the real smell of the soup.

Damn opposition, why everything blaming opposition? this is unfair, unbalanced, narrow political paradigm.

Every thing that goes wrong is being blamed on the opposition. The Stone business at the Ethiopia commercial bank, is it because of the oppositions sabotage of the regime? is not because the government is useless? the meddling of Meles in Somalia which is costing us lives and our economy because of the opposition of sabotage against the govenment? is the killing of Ethiopian refugees in Somalia because of the oppositions sabotage? the killing of Ethiopians in Tigray a sabotage of the opposition? you even accuse the opposition for being an ally of shabia while you yourself are slave servant of shabia. you saved shabia now shabia is killing our people all the time and everywhere.

you are asking us now about chew berber? May be the chew berber is protesting against EPRDF?

you accuse opposition even if for your own faults. Are the oppositions stocking the salt and berbere out of Ethiopia?

According to me, the rise in price of items may be due to the following factors:
1. population dynamic in addis ababa, meaning, may be there is an influx of rural population to the city and the supply is less than the demand
2. Since Ethiopia is a loosely administered, no one knows what goes on. probably there are people who are exporting the local items. We know organic food item is the most precious item in the first world, probably Ethiopians or foreigners are engaged in export of Ethiopian items which has created more supply stress and deficit to meet the more than usual demand.

I just do not see why the oppositions has to bear the blame? why, what are the justification for those blames?

You must able to prove your accusation. Aye Ethiopia, the oppositions blame everything on you and your blame everything on them. Ethiopia needs neither of you groups. Those who never see their own faults whether it is the opposition or the ruling party are not important to Ethiopia.

Ethiopians are dying? aiga never post anything about those Ethiopians, but they are asking about chew berber? kkkkkk! may be EPRDF time is coming to an end? for how long Ethiopia going to be landlocked and Ethiopians continue bleeding and dying? There is time for everything, time to fall and time to rise, salt has never been that expensive in Ethiopia even in those past bad days, the salt must mean something, may be there is a motical meaning to it, may be the politics of EPRDF has become tasteless to Ethiopian and is to come to an end soon. As long as my country is landlocked by EPRDF and my people dying I wanted EPRDF to be done away whether it is by salt or berber price rise, may be there is a second revolt agaisnt the AntiEthiopia Meels Zenawi.
--Gezaee

Dear Ones,
First and foremost one has to prioritize which comes first in retail open market situation? Balance should be maintained between extremesim. In all open retail market situation more likely the law of supply and demand govern it than the authoritative command or doctrine of "RED LINE".In a country where there exists a wide gap between a need and availability,it is obvious such problem could happen at any time. The question now is how do you manage or handle it? In my opinion those issues apart from being dealt urgently, it requires more sytematic approach like effective management of retail trades and formulating appropriate policies that could curb such market crisis.However, I can fairly assert that closure of the retail megazines or warehouses or jailing the owner merchants would not stablize the market crisis ultimately and it would not guarantee a lasting solution.
Thank you

Mr. Gezaee,

You did bring an excellent idea when you stated " you must able to prove your accusation."

And even more imporatnt is to follow your own advise. You have been accusing the current government like there is not tommorrow. To tell you the truth, we are kind of tired of your writing. If you want to pass positive and beneficial opposite point of view, we are missing your point since most of of your writing is to accuse personalities.

Can you please grow up?

You guys are giving some kind of life to the dead opposition.discussing about the opposition now is like bringing a dead person into life.we understand that berbere mostly comes from the Amhara region but no one will die because of lack of berbere ,simple.most of the world poplation don't even use berbere.come on guys these oppositions are hiding everywhere.let them live the stay in their hole,they are shy.you see what I'm saying guys?

the success of the current government is its less involvement (relatively) in the economy. lets not forget what happened to our economy in days where gov't was selling bread and sugar. let us find another way of solving the situation not asking for the use of force.

Gov't should interfere for sake of the people... Democracy is for the benefit of the people, not for the benefit of few selfish individuals.
--damtew

Dawit;well said...it is a war declared againest the poor...these sadist have no religion or any moral code...

--bik

Dear ZERU HAGOS
Thank you for the comment but let i substabtiate when i mean that the root-cause of the price escalation of Chew and Berbere lay in the ill prepared economic policy of EPRDF just showing your own words:

"privatizing Derg owned institutions..."
"why we blame EPRDF policy on chew and berbere fiasco...."
"chew berbere does not heavely depend...."
"...corrupt and selfish bussinessman...."
here we go again when we say a policy in a country it is the framework,guidelines,rules and regulations etc so if the EPRDF could set a visionary policy attached with the right guidelines and monitoring would such things what you have said them as corrupt and selfish bussinessmen flourish and set the price they want,when they want?
I also belive the the flourishing of the private sector is part of the solution and how the private sector can flourish?
1. if all private investing are free from nepotisn
2. when there is not curb in participation freely
3. security of vicinities of investment
4. clear guidelines and information
how,where in what amount to participate
5. good coordination between ministries who are engaed in licencing
6. because our past has got a lot about confisication and the like investors need assurances
So dear Zeru who have to paerform these things for a competetive and transparent marketing infrastructure ME YOU as a civil servant but in producing such environment it is the policy which plays the role and ill free policy are designed by a state and is discussed with the respective users and implementded.
DID i clear myself?

--hammacho
<mailto:chillalo@gmail.com>

"Those who are well-off in Ethiopia simply create a burden on those millions of people who are hard pressed!"This is a lunatic and meaningless assertion.Its a kind of "ahyawin ferto dawilawin" approach!
The year-on-year inflation figure is a clear indication that the government of Meles Zenawi has failed in its mission to put the breakes on price increases.Only a government who decreases budget deficits,initiate social security reforms and achive efficent tax collection can manage to pull down the ever rising inflation!
--Osama Khalid,

Again, those who live in the situation have our our daily experiences. The talk on free market , competition, traders and corrupt officials as investors, ethics, morals, compasion to compatriots etc are all utter nonesense!!! All that matters is accumulating money instantly in prodigous amount, by ANYMEANS, and hoarding it in different currencies in foreign banks!!!
A citizen in Despair

Shame on you Aiga,
What happened to the yesterday's killing in Humera? I know your big news is finding faults about the oppostion and aggitating only the good deeds of EPRDF, or the provocation of Shabia on the tourists not the killing of the nationals.You are more than TPLF cadres.
yOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOUR APPROACH

Hammacho or who ever else! we know all Ethiopian elites prefer to pile up many English words that can't be understood by 85% of the Ethiopian poplace than trying to make a difference in the growing economy .we know some of them visit the American cities to collect money for their belly.I myself have paid more than $800.00 dollars in the the last ten year.you think you are saying something about the Ethiopian economy,but you are not saying anything that could be understood by the majority of Ethiopian.that's why you will never understand the policies of EPRDF.EPRDF is working for the majority & you are trying to prepare yourself to sit in the cities of Ethiopia & fill your villa with all kind of confortable western life style & make ready yourself to milk the Ethiopian people.our people are stil walking bare foot,generally our people don't understand what you are talking about.the farmers of Ethiopia are not worring about berbere,rather they worried about about your ill-fated greediness. therefore you & the EPRDF can't agree in Ethiopia's economic policy,because you are trying to empower yourself & the EPRDF is empowering the majority. If I was the leader of EPRDF,I would have started my economic policy from the rural Ethiopia to the urban the same as the struggle against the Derg.you know our people can't understand your economic bragging! If you are knowledgible bring an idea that can bring us together to work with the EPRDF & if they have any faults we can tell them we don't like this policy but we will work with that policy for our poeple.let's create the "Menfes" of to work together,let's bring the Menfes to love each other with our differences,let's stop greediness & make the history of the 21st century.If we can't abide by the policies of EPRDF we can't abide by what our people want us to do.your arguements are so westernized which can't fit in our people at this time. most of our people stil lives in a very close to primitive kind of life style.you can imagine that Gojo,the bed , the kitchen,the food store,the clothing,the drinking water ... come on guys! come to your sense & lower yourself a little closer to our people's life style.let's work with EPRDF so we can serve our people better than them. sincerely

there is no shame on aiga! it is part of the struggle.you think this is the first time this kind of atrocity happenned in Humera,Humera have seen alots of bloodshade. once Isaiasawian are gone we will be okay.shame on you though!aiga has nothing to do with what you said.from your point of view you are happy to see this kind of NEWS & shame on you.

Shame on aiga, coyote aiga, aiga, you do not use brain?

Some want us to hear/read a Tsunami of problems in Ethiopia. They want/wish anger, frustration and desperation to prevail in every day life of the ordinary people of our country trying to stage a SILENT COUP.
Unlike the Berbere(where there is a huge demand in the diaspora community that doesn't relate to the supply), the sudden sky-rocketing of the price of salt is disturbing. I also think it is a well calculated one on the eve of local/regional election.
The Government took an aggressive & a very unusual method of stablizing the market.(remeber that rounding up, detaining/jailing etc of the "Ashatregna Negadewotch" didn't work but back fired then)
I agree on some government regulation tightening & oversight of whole sellers as well as retailers.
Thank you,
DIZI

Dear Aiga, Don't full as. who is responsible for the crise is who is ruling the country. EPRDF-with the blood of peoples strugel for equality and liberity was haijacked. ask thewife of Seyome Mesfin why chew bereber is skayrockiting in ethiopia. ask the wife ofGirma Birru.

Just like cement, the government should allow import of cereals and flour to the country temporarily.Same with salt and pepper.

Dear Aiga,this is our future society!as far as the political environment is U are with US or Against US for the last 30 years,you cannot create a genuine citizen by ZEMECHA&MEFEKIR for exampel yours is 'enough is enough!',Dergs'mehayemenet yewdem'..,EPRDF's 'dihinetin tarik enadergew'...Not like this!Aiga...I think its better to be honest and resposible..show me you are a politician because you like your country not because you are hungry then you use public office to survive,not because we are from the same ethnic group,not b/c you died for it,not b/c you are the only solution for the problem,not b/c you let me have job,credit,loan,fertilizer so that I follow you,not b/c you dicied for me what to know(es..farmer lost his money...) not to know(fake gold bars..),to hear & see(ETV,CNN,Fana)n't to..ret.com,cybersoft.com,VOA..)SO!you can not label them rentseekers whileyou have a political rentseeker.
I poorly can say the best way to tackle this problem is empower the people but in full practice.Inform the price not when it arrives 10 birr,before!what to do when facing Rentseeker.we have chew!so we dont need economists here but AIGA you better ask this question with rispect to Garment,Leather,paper,pharma,information,industry long long time ago??!!
--Dani
<mailto:dandu87@yahoo.it>

Dear Anonymous
I apreciate your suggestions but the escalating price or chew or berber plus the others which this forum could not raise are still the failure of the state of EPRDF. In our world we have to major things at stake to set prices goods and services and they are either state led or market led but there is a third way which set priorites accourding the sicioeconomic situation in a country so what will happen if both failed`? why both fail is it with inappropariate policy or is there a sunami which caused them?
i will not deal with these topics but in order to show you how our policies are set i quote for you excerpts from a field trip done by Jimmy Carter,his wife and ato Meles in 1997 "Ethiopia: Our main purpose in coming to Africa was to assess our Global 2000 agricultural project in Ethiopia and 11 other nations. Our first two days were spent in field trips, mostly southward along the rough and winding road through the Rift Valley from Addis Ababa to Awassa, about 150 miles as the crow flies.

Ethiopia is a special case for us. In 1994, Rosalynn and I took Prime Minister Meles Zenawi out to see some of our test plots. He became extremely excited and launched a massive government program based precisely on our crop production techniques. Total yields jumped from 5.5 million tons in 1993 to 11.7 million tons last year, and Ethiopia is now exporting surplus corn and will be self-sufficient in wheat this year. Usually, we would have 15-20,000 farmers in our production program by this time, but since Meles now has 600,000, we have limited ours to only 2,500. This lets us concentrate on post-harvest projects: farm storage, marketing, and processing."
does this show you the precise way of policy formulation with in a day trip?
So back to square one you raised that "if they have any fault we can tell them ..." sorry to say it but if the EPRDF could has ears it is better to hear the people rather than me and you,moreover do you know how many farmers came to Addis to tell their problems which ever were not heard by the state and even by the holly father? It is good to stand on ones believe but it is another to refute facts and realities.
What have to be done to solve the problem relies in the hand of the government and it puppets and it lies only to hear the mass rural population requests so that the future could be bright.
you have a good idea about ADLI, which stands for agricultural development led industrialisation but if unless we change the course of our policies it is just a futile excercise tried by the military junta unless the policy in the land tenure and othe r related policies are amended.
What Ethiopia has to learn from the tigers in Asia is that even though the time the tigers were assisted from different anti socialist nations their focus was to upgrade the educational status of the people so that the productivity as well the people could know its rights.
thank you
--hammacho
<http://gmail.com>

First of all, I would like to ask why are most of those commenting on this issue keep anonymous. May be they are worried they will face the fate of the chew and berbere negades? Ladies and gentlemen,do not be afraid of EPRDF! It arrestes only speculators and those who try to overthrow the constitutional order - just like the Derg regime did.Coming back to the question raised, I would like to join my voice with those commentators who expressed their deep concern over the exessive measures being taken by the government of PM Meles Zenawi,namely the arrest of merchants who allegdly sided with the opposition by provoking a price hike on certain basic food items. This is a witch hunt, if not a cheap public relations move by the ruling front, possibly to show the citizens of Addis who really is the culprit and raise its rating which is below sea level in the capital - a futile attempt I am afraid. Instead of introducing measures that will encourage supply and mitigate the crisis,the officials of the Ethiopian government are showing who they really are - communists soul and flesh - through the methods they are deploying to counter the problem. The root cause of the problem is, as stated by many,lack of dynamic private sector. The Ethiopian government, wnich upto today failed to legalize itself through the ballot box, eyes the private sector it can not totally control with great suspicion. As a result, the market is monopolised by few individuals who express their loyality to the regime, and in turn are allowed to reap exessive profit. I find it strange why the government is surprised by the currrent course of events. I very much doubt that this traders have no connections with some bureaucrats including high rankaed officlals of EPRDF. Alas, when a government counts more on loyality than proffesionalism, this is the result you have. At the same time, I do not see any formal reason why the aforementioned businesssmen should be behind bars. They have the right to sell their goods at any price they wish as long as there is someone willing to buy, and unless they contravene the law. If this trend continues, it will not be long before the jails will be filled by "speculators and anti-social elments ",terms irrelevant in a society where private economy prevails. Leaving concrete solutions to the discretion of proffesionals, I call up on the government of PM Meles Zenawi to clean its own Augean stables, and in the long run, exert its utmost effort to work on the issue of a peacful transition of power to civilians who did not led or are in no way connected to the guerilla movment. May be then, EPRDF can resort to solving economilcal issues witout being afraid of its own shadow.
--Muluneh Hailu
<mailto:mulunehhailu@yahoo.com>

I respectfully agree with Mr Hammacho!Our leaders have ears only for their own voices!
--Osama Khalid

Again we have our daily experience truths.Now in Ethiopia we do not have what some talk of:market that corrects itself. It is not a matter of demand ,supply, competition,ethics,morals,sense of compassion to others,concern for the common good!! The talk of traders as investors etc is utter nonsense.We have greed only-accumulate a prodigous amount of money by any means and hoarding it in foreign banks in different currencies. This refers to most of those in the trade, "investment",officialdom.Such attitudes and practices are invading the society as a whole. Although government takes the largest share of the blame for not giving the model through its officials and affilates in showing they stand honestly for the common good and ethical practices, most people seem to be infected by the evil of greed.
Beyond temporary amelioratory solutions, could people writing here focus on the larger malady of greed and explain its root causes and solutions?

It's the govt's duty to protect its law abiding citizens from internal and external enemies..including those involved in price gauge. Free market comes with a responsibility.
--G

You guys did any body die because they didn't eat salt and berbere.

60 years ago the Indian refused to buy salt from England... and they got their freedom because of their refusal to buy salt from England that is made from their own INDIAN SEA.

YOU see if most custmer refused to buy salt and berbere for next three month what will the sale man would you think will do? eat the berbere and salt?

In fact the govt. should be given to time to produce berbere and salt with in 3 month and as you know the with their economy power they can under cut the price and make those price terrist out of business...

Now the point is does Ethiopian people respect this ban or try to break the ban behind everyone and pay the black marketer higher price and make it worst...

In this case the only blame should go to the custmer themselves... the govt. should tell them they have the power to SET THE PRICE if the custmer united... that is the only voice the price terrist hear lound and clear.

Tell me anyone here do you die just because you are not eating berbere and salt?

By nature meet have it is own salt that is why we don't need salt when we eat row meet but when we over cook the meet we loose only the salt and we have to add that lost...

If you want test your own blood and it test salty... that means blood have salt in it you don't have to add anoter salt as long as you don't over cook it.

All the veg aslo can be eaten wtihout salt... in fact we add berbere JUST for color and to make it hot... that is the only thing...

Another benfit of not adding salt is the health reason... we get enough salt form other thing we eat our body doesn't need extra in fact it the major reason people die from salt they have it too much in their system.

Do you remember when chicken flu TIME... No one buying chicken and the price of chicken fail and alot people forced out of business... at the time the govt. use the madia to their advantage too... now they can do it too by orgaining the public not to eat the two most wanted item and force those price terrist out of business.

In fact all Ethiopian must start salt and berbere fasting month in future so that the leason would not be forgoten to the next genreation....
-------DONT NEED SALT

zeru
How come the Tele. was not privatized? Cus. every body would have access to the interet which would be difficult for Meles to enforce blockage.

How on earth the opposition groups made the price of salt high? Why the government always put the blame on another third party groups? Everything happened it is Kinijit or Olf or Shabia. It is really nonesense. The good thing would be take the blame for the unstability of the commodity price and take corrective action immidiately and also make sure these stupid things not happen again.

Is chew and berbere the only item that faced price increase? Why just the two became a news all of a sudden? How about bread, teff, beef, egg, chicken? The worest one is housing and real estate? Do you know real estate is more expensive in addis than Atlanta, Dallas, Raleigh to name the few. The Ethiopian yearly expenditure is less than one big University in the cities mentioned above, why on earth life is more expensive in the poorest country in the world than this wealthy big cities? Do you consider the chew berbere issue is that big crisis? Wait and see when this false housing price crumbles! You guys are funny! Do you remember what durg did when self infelicted econmic crisis hit hard? He killed poor berbere merchents. Is that what you are advocating?
--Ye Maimishaw

It is agreeable that leaving the market alone doesn`t do any good in a country like Ethiopia. Limited and GOOD INTENTIONED intervention is always necessary. (Look what the US government is doing to ease the economic problem the counntry is facing; they are, from both parties, trying to ease the stress using every economic/ financial means possible). Ethiopia can do the same, in its own capacity.

However I do not agree with the above speculation that the problem is a result of the actions of opposition supporters. Government action basing on such misguided principle, I suspect, will be contrary to solving the problem. I am afraid the above suggestion is saying "punish opposition supporters". Sitting in the western country confort and making such dictatorial suggestion, I think, is immoral, if not selfish and hate mongering.

In fact, if the economic problem could unambigiously be associated with actions of opposition supporters, which I doubt is the case, the government is obliged to respond by answering to their questions-not punishing `them` as suggested by the owner of this site.
--guta
<mailto:justo_talk@yahoo.com>

if it is true Meles is putting in jail business men and women for blaming for increase in the price of salt and berbere? it is an indicator Meles is about to go from arat kilo. Do you remember what Mengistu Hailemariam did when he was confused at the end? he killed even those who were close to him like general bulti, it back fired, ordinary Ethiopians hated Mengistu than ever. Attacking civilians will only backfire on Meles and shorten his life at Arat Kilo, they said, arrogance and pride comes before down fall. Meles thinks he will contiune to manipulate the 80 million people for ever as wish?

I really apologize for interecepting this hot debate, but please "AIGA" i want to have the DVD that is published about the war against Eritrean by the Mountain-Aiga and the surrounding area. Or direct me where to go if I want to buy it.

we have seen alot,while there are Ethiopians who worry about how to find this morning meal,Here we have self respecting egotists fire each other with out the concent of the Ethiopian people,by considering themselves a pure democrat,they proof that they are other wise anti democracy. their propaganda sent many innocent Ethiopians the wrong way.the only thing the people who accepted the wrong message tried to affect the economy but they failed to do so.the Ethiopian never asked the where about of their money.the money that they wasted could have helped thousands of needy Ethiopians. Now the gevernment has to fill the the markets of Ethiopia.those who are trying to distabilize the Ethiopian consumer will merge to the market after they see everything is everywhere,there is no reason people will hold their commodity if it is everywhere.they have failed before & they falied now.they know that trying to fail again will be disguisting.the Ethiopian government has to tell the Ethiopian people straight forward.we don't have a warranty,therefore Ethiopia doesn't need their way & everyone concerned must offer Ethiopia its share as a mother.In people! with the purest imagination lets think that this is our mother that what can we help her. why do we have to be somebody's jelle to help our mother Land? so many time passed taking millions of precious soul with it.let Ethiopia live better in the future! our life time is not even close to century,but our mother land lived since the lucy time atleast & has made its own histories.we could have done so much to continue the Ethiopian History.some of you have sided with Ethiopia's cronic enemies.last Ethiopia is making history . it will not be dragged back by an incompetent politics.thank you...

The issue of free market may perfectly work in developed coutries. I strongly say that things she don't be left to be decided only by market forces. Government has to interfer. We have seen the prices of goods increasing like any thing for no reason. The case of salt is good example. We know that the price of salt is inelastic but this didn't work in the last coupld of days. This is due to the greedy merchants. Gov't has to take tough measures. Otherwise, it will be damaging.
--Haile

those guys who alwas happy about bashing ethiopia and whatever ethiopia has achieved over the last five years in terms of socioeconomic development are bent on blaming the govrnment for the henious ecnomic crimes being committed by their foot s;ldiers i.e greedy businessmen and women who aspire to become overnight millionnaries.one thing these myopic guys have missed is the fact that they are hurting the working poeple they pretend to love.in fact they have never had the interest of our poeple at their heart but the instability they want to create so that they will show up as the alternative to the government of the day.hence the government should be able to preempt this that yhey will never succeed in repeating the chaos they brought last time in the name of election .our country can not afford to carry that burden of riot and anarchy which only bring the loss of what we have achieved.i urge the govrnment to be alert and make sure that a psudo revolution of artificial scarcity can not be allowed to derail our tremendous nationa progress that is changing ethiopia and surely taking it to the 21st cntury.

THE REGIME OF MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM
WITH OUT MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM?!
The volunteers in this pro-EPRDF Aiga Forum who have been feeding us a constant diet of good economic news seem to have been puzzled and confused by the current boom in inflation.
Our friends in Aiga Forum are trying hard to convince us that the chronic high inflation which has become EPRDF Government's never-ending headache is a hidden war waged by anti-peace elements with in the Ethiopian society.According to this conspiracy theory the CUD(Coalition for Unrest and Destruction) is the devil hidden in the current Chew-Berbere Crisis.That means political prices are being turned in to real prices.This is HILLARIOUS!
Enough is Enough say these EPRDF's pen slingers!Revolutionary Democratic measure should be taken against those greedy Chew-Berbere Negadies that support the opposition and put pressure on the government!Thats it,thats all!Period!Because this is the Era of "Revolution against Democracy",pardon,Revolutionary Democracy!!!
I am not sure wether these "greedy berebere-chew negadies" will get a free and fair trial in a country where the prosecutor prosecutes before the crime and the judge judges before the complaint!In a nutshell,we are going back to the dark days of "Ye Fiyel Wotete Tikeshaw Yabete Libu..."

--Osama Khalid

THE REGIME OF MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM
WITH OUT MENGISTU HAILE MARIAM?!
The volunteers in this pro-EPRDF Aiga Forum who have been feeding us a constant diet of good economic news seem to have been puzzled and confused by the current boom in inflation.
Our friends in Aiga Forum are trying hard to convince us that the chronic high inflation which has become EPRDF Government's never-ending headache is a hidden war waged by anti-peace elements with in the Ethiopian society.According to this conspiracy theory the CUD which I like to call (Coalition for Unrest and Destruction) is the devil hidden in the current Chew-Berbere Crisis.That means political prices are being turned in to real prices.This is HILLARIOUS!
Enough is Enough say these EPRDF's pen slingers!Revolutionary Democratic measure should be taken against those greedy Chew-Berbere Negadies that support the opposition and put pressure on the government!Thats it,thats all!Period!Because this is the Era of "Revolution against Democracy",pardon,Revolutionary Democracy!!!
I am not sure wether these "greedy berebere-chew negadies" will get a free and fair trial in a country where the prosecutor prosecutes before the crime and the judge judges before the complaint!In a nutshell,we are going back to the dark days of "Ye Fiyel Wotete Tikeshaw Yabete Libu..."

--Osama Khalid

Wow! 50 lomi showed us a miracle that exists in millions of Ethiopian courageous mothers. Self repected diaspora politicians are telling us that we should be forced to accept their imported democracy.democracy is acceptable only when the majority of Ethiopians fullfilled their everyday need.Let alone for the empty bragging opposition to work towards Ethiopians need, they are trying to hold the Ethiopian people as a hostage for their illed political purpose. the money they have wasted in the star hotels could have helped thousands of mothers who are sufferring alot to to do their kids need. we seen a shy mother like every mother in Ethiopia who is full of spirit & her son growing faster in his thinking to help his mother.magnificient video clip!thank you aiga!

Make no mistake about the fact that majority of Solt merichants are Tigreans. They work in unison and tight circle so others may not have the chance to enter the business. BTW I am am a Tigrean my self too. It's a reality!

Make no mistake about the fact that majority of Solt merichants are Tigreans. They work in unison and tight circle so others may not have the chance to enter the business. BTW I am am a Tigrean my self too. It's a reality!

The salt problem seems to have been settled for now partly because it was so ridiculous, so foolish. With small intervention, it got back to its usual situation.But I say again and gain that the salt case is the best example of how the so called market here and the every minute price hiking are unnatural. Please lets not single out salt and berbere in the discussion. It is all basic household commodites whose prices are greedliy fixed very, very high every day.
Part of the problem is customers paying the prices they are asked while crying on them.Does it mean their buying power has increased because they are 'WILLING TO PAY' and hence there is demand as economists would tell us? So the suggestion by 'DONT NEED SALT' above is among the better solutions. Customers should refuse to pay the unnatural prices we are asked. We quickly organize into comsumers' groups in any legal and convenient ways and exert our pressures on the artificial price fixing of the greedy. We also need to recognize and take action on our household habits that make us victims to the greed: such as some food habits like "berbere kelele, teff kalhone,qibe kelele, zeit kelele" In this example, I am refering to those "lower and middle" economic groups of our society. It is really puzzling for people who do not fast to line up in front of the butcher house to eat raw meat for 60 or more per kilo at the eve of the Orthodox Abiy Tsom. I think the customers behaviour should also modify depending on circumstances. We do not have to expect to live as usual while things are becoming worse.We do not have to expect government to do everything for us.
The government as insitution for ensuring the well being of the MAJORITY,THE COMMON GOOD, people in the government as individuals, should do their share. 1)have clear strategies to deal with problems before they become crisis 2)get rid of themselves from greed and being accomplices to it.
Currently,we are being swallowed by consumerism without having the means. We need to tame our consumerism being in one of the poorest contries in the world. The consumerist tendencies we are borrowing from Mr. GLOBALIZATION are very well playing into the hands of UNQUENCHABLE GREED.
After all life is too short to be engulfed by consumerism and greed. Its meaning does not necessarily lie in only material success and consumption. Too much concern with material success and consumption has its prices on our well being: chronic diseases diabetes, hypertension,stress. More harmful tendencies: moral decadence,greed and ultimately social disintegration.
Call me GEREMEW

Why is Melese being used as a tool for Devil when he has all the power and wisdom to be a person free from Devil and do something good for this poor country? Why is he not lesioning all the crying and broken heart of his own people,brothers and sisters.
How long is he thinking to live on this earth? Or how much should he work to deposit for his children and grandchildren

My message is he is here just for 60 or 70 years and know that he has the freedom to be good and please do good before you die,it is just as such simple.
Let God give you the insight of your problems
--mele