23 Mar 2015
Remembering the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa
South Africa, 1960 On March 21, 1960, exactly 55 years ago today, a crowd estimated at five thousand (according to apartheid police 20 thousand, inflated to justify their extreme response) gathered in front of a police station in the South African township of Sharpeville in Transvaal (presently Gauteng, one of the nine provinces of South
15 Mar 2015
A Tale of Tall Tales and “Ethiopia’s Diplomat-in-Chief”
What does a malaria researcher know about the art and science of diplomacy? Or for that matter the difference between telling the truth and telling lies? Or condoning or condemning lies? These are not trick questions. Tedros Adhanom is the “foreign minister” in the Thugtatroship of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (T-TPLF). In
09 Mar 2015
A Magna Carta for Ethiopia?
I am celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta Libertatum or the Great Charter of English Liberties. Whoa! Hold it! I understand your question! Why is a guy born in Africa (Ethiopia) now living in America celebrating a document written by a bunch of disgruntled and rebellious English barons quarrelling with a feudal monarch
08 Mar 2015
The Poison of Ethnic Federalism in Ethiopia’s Body Politic
The Thugtatorship of the Tigrean Peoples Liberation (T-TPLF) adopted its fabricated constitution for Ethiopia on December 8, 1994. The Preamble to that constitution declares, “We the Nations, Nationalities and People of Ethiopia…” have written the constitution to 1) “secure the right to self-determination” for “people of the nations and nationalities”, 2) ensure the territorial insularity (separateness) of
06 Mar 2015
Bibi Came, Bibi Saw, Bibi Brought Nothing to the Table!
On March 3, 2015, Prime Minister Benjamin (“Bibi”) Netenyahu addressed a joint session of the United States Congress to deliver his diktat: Pass a law to prevent President Obama from negotiating with Iran because any U.S. agreement with Iran is not worth the paper it is written on. “We’re better off without it,” exhorted Netenyahu. It was
26 Feb 2015
Young Ethiopian Musicians Rising!
Young Diaspora Ethiopian musicians are rising fast and gaining attention on the international scene. They sing in English, but some include Amharic songs in their repertoire. Their lyrics are serious and spotlight social conditions. Their melodies are a fusion of Ethiopian, rock and jazz beats. They attract audiences across cultural lines. Their music has universal
22 Feb 2015
Bye, Bye Karuturistan, Ethiopia!
It was too good to be true. It is too bad it was true for the people of Gambella in western Ethiopia. Last month, the ignoble demise of Karuturi Global, Ltd. (a/k/a “Ethiopian Meadows Plc.”, “Gambella Green Valley Plc (Ethiopia)”, “Karuturi Agro Products Plc (Ethiopia)) in Ethiopia was announced quietly and without fanfare. Karuturi,
16 Feb 2015
Ethiopia’s Perfekt Elektion? Much Ado About Nothing!
Who knows about Ethiopia’s perfekt elektion in May 2015? It is the middle of February 2015 as I write this commentary. But I always remember in November. I see some of my Ethiopian friends carrying long forlorn melancholy faces. A few lines from Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” flash in my mind: Why,
08 Feb 2015
Ethiopia’s “Odious Debt” to the Odious World Bank
In my last commentary, The World Bank and Ethiopia’s “Growth and Transformation”, I cryptically observed in passing, “… The USD$600 million is money the World Bank loaned to the Thugtatorship of the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (T-TPLF) in the name of the People of Ethiopia. Future generations of Ethiopians will be asked to pay it back.
02 Feb 2015
The World Bank and Ethiopia’s “Growth and Transformation”
The World Bank lies, Ethiopia dies… from onerous “odious debt” I had completely forgotten about the so-called “Growth and Transformation Plan” (GTP) of 2010, until the World Bank reminded me of it last week. by Alemayehu G. Mariam That “Plan” was the late Meles Zenawi’s gimmick about having an economic plan for Ethiopia. “Ethiopian economic growth