Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Open Letter to Editor(s) of Urjii.Info

Dear fellow Urjii editor(s),

Having sent you a personal e-mail message and waited for two weeks for your reply to no avail; and having posted my request as a comment on your web site which you chose to remove, I am forced to write this open letter in the hope that you will consider my request.

First, many thanks for posting on your web site the article “The Case for a Sovereign & Independent Oromia” written for my blog. It is very much appreciated.

However, I was wondering why you chose to change the title from “The Case for a Sovereign & Independent Oromia” to “Oromia: Would Sovereignty be the only Way Out?”

As an editor, you should know that first impressions matter and the title of an article is the reader’s first impression of the content of the piece. It is also what sets the tone of the piece for the reader. It is not an exaggeration to say that the title of an article is just as important as the information you put into its body.

As you can see from the content of the article, the writer is advocating for a sovereign and independent Oromia. He is NOT asking whether sovereignty would be the only way or not! The writer and Oromo Affairs are willing to listen to other options advocated by others but they write and publish in support or defense of the sovereignty & independence option for Oromia. Those who are not sure which option they prefer are free to write posing that question.

As a fellow editor, I respectfully ask that you change the title back to “The Case for a Sovereign & Independent Oromia.”

Please note that a core editorial value is commitment to accuracy which is fundamental to your reputation.

Sincerely,

Argan Beekan

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

It appears to me that urijii.Info editor is not happy when one advocates for independent Oromia. I don't condemen the editor because he/she does not like or support independent Oromia. But, changing someone's title only and leaving the whole article is unethical and unheard of. Instead he/she could write a challenging article to convience us, the online audience, of his/her point as why he/her disagrees with Gumaa Guda's article.

The way it's posted on Urijii.info does not make sense. The title as changed by him/her signals that the article would compare two differing ideas. When you read the article it's the same/identical with the article written by Gumma Gudaa. The ethical and educated way to challenge idea is to write your own not to change your opponents title.

I guess he/she does not have the ability it takes to write an article to counter attack what Gumaa Gudaa advocates for; so I strongly believe that Urijii.info editor took a short cut to cover his incompetencey by changing the title and get done with it. This is too CHEAP!!!

Nagati

Anonymous said...

Come on Urjii! Do the right thing and change the title back. Don't lose the huge respect you earned among the Oromo diaspora when you wera publishing from back home over this. Maintain the integrity you were known for back home. Why lose it now? Obbo Argan Beekan's request is reasonable and you must act on it.

Nagayaan

Anonymous said...

"Every news organization has only its credibility and reputation to rely on". Urji should abide by journalistic etichs which includes accuracy.

Anonymous said...

Can anyone confirm urjii.info is related to that shining star newspaper closed down by tplf and its journalists exiled? Who is the editor?

Waqjiraa Gudataa said...

First I would like to thank "our" Urjii for what has posted the Article on its web-site, but I am not happy as well soon putting it in its Archive when other articles even before it were still properly displayed.
I am one of those Oromos who has expressed our gonguratulate for its re-emerge and our full support for any thing our web-site needs from us in considering it as it was back in those days which used to speak the cause of the Oromo nation even in a very difficult environment. This reality led us for a massive expectation from a voice that supposed to be ours. But changing the Title of the Article as much as important in speaking our cause for public debate is unhealthy for its professional image. Changing it as it accommodates its stand for our destiny is unacceptable. Yes, be pro or against Independent Oromia is the right of individual Oromo voice. If in case of missunderstanding led for such, Urjii Owes an apology to the Author and its readers.
Nagati, Milan

Anonymous said...

I have asked urji why they changed the title through their comment section but they removed the comment, you know they modarate comments right? I don't mind them moderating to catch some unethical comments, My question was simple, clean and polite. They removed it simply because I raised a question that they might have not liked. This tells me how much our media is detached from our core value - gadaa democracy or how much we didn't learn from the western world, how to tolarate opinions of others that differ from us.

Waqjiraa Gudetaa said...

Thank you the last commentator: 23/10/10, 10:13
you helped us to break the ice of our gumgummii towards once our Urjii, but nowdays a reasonable question mark over it, if it stands with us or against us?. In our struggle for our destiny we had / have faced an enemy sabotage either external or internal by speaking the same our motto for their hiden agenda is a shocking if Urjii belongs to here as an attempt to steal our hearts.
Still up to today , till the above mentioned commentator news came out that I was waiting am apology for the Author and the Oromo nation but as he tried and asked the editor , the editor/s chose to remove the comments in a silence way because they didn't like it is an
insult on injury for the Oromo nation. So they did it purposely motivated for their ethiopianst by trading In Oromo name . But fortunately , Urjii is not the only Oromo website where we are in desperately need, most probably the worest tried to keep us in a silence . I personally, will chose Ethiopian Revie or Ethiomedia rather than a masked Urjii.

Anonymous said...

The Urjii editor has not only stolen someone's intellectual property but also distorted it for his own purpose.

The good news is Urjii readership is not high. Especially their Abyssinian masters will never visit a wesite by the name of Urjii.Info.

The bad news is that the question of making a positive case for independent Oromia has driven the Urjii.Info editor mad. Well, that is life. I will never visit Urjii.Info again.

Nagaa Oromoo.

Anonymous said...

Obbo Argan Beekan,

I hope you have seen the following laughable response from Urjii. The justification fro changing the title of your article was "to remain neutral and professiona and we cannot put words into the mouth of others." kkkkkk What words? In whose mouth? Do thse people know about journalism? They cannot even distingushe between news and an opinion piece. They don't know that neutrality and objectivity arise only in the context of news pieces. Journalists, indeed!

At least they have now posted your comment which you said they had removed. Your open letter has forced them to respond. However, they are yet to do the right thing and change the title back to waht it was. I hope you will call them to task on this.

Idris Hussein

------ Urjii's Response ------
admin says:
November 10, 2010 at 2:47 pm
TO: Obbo/Aadde Argan Beekan
FROM: The Editor
Dear Obbo/Aadde Argan Beekan,
Thank you for your honest and friendly reaction. To begin with, it is only the title of your article that was “touched”. The content of your article, which we presume is very important to you, remained intact.
The reason why we edited the title of your article is, as an independent publication that always attempts to remain neutral and professional, we cannot put words into the mouth of others. Besides, we strongly believe that such choices are up to the Oromo People only; and nobody, not an individual or a group of individuals, not even the political organizations who claim to have been fighting for the independence of the Oromo People could make such choices on behalf of the Oromos. URJII believes that the only thing that we and others like us, and even those political organizations, could do is working on facilitating situations and political environments in which Oromos could make collective decisions for example in the form of referendum. And, we hope, such articles as that of yours would help Oromo brothers and sisters learn more about their political questions and make conscientious choice when the time comes.
Finally, we would like to remind you that it is a part of URJII’s editorial policy to make necessary editing to articles and the like.
Thank you for your understanding; and we apologize that we didn’t respond soon.

Anonymous said...

I bet Urjii and his likes do not have policy their policy is just go with the wind.
I am amazed when they write "Finally, we would like to remind you that it is a part of URJII’s editorial policy to make necessary editing to articles and the like."

Akaa namaani sirbaani mormaa namaa jalisaa.

Argan Beekan said...

Dear Obbo Idris,

Many thanks for alerting me to Urjii editor's response. It pains me to read such a shameful response form people I considered my heroes at one point in my life. I have odne exactly waht you suggested. Becuase I believe people who did good at one point are capable of doing bad or erring at another point in their life and should be called to task when they do. By not calling our compatriots to task when there is a justified reason to do so would be to help them become medicres. This actually may challenge and help Urjii to become more professional. I would really like to believe that.

Thanks again Obbo Idris.

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