07 Jul 2014
The Moral Bankruptcy of Failed African States
Are crimes against children crimes against humanity? According to the latest Failed States Index, 6 out of the top 10 and 18 out of the top 25 “most failed states on earth” are found in Africa. This commentary is not about beating the dead hyena of the failed African “state”. Nor is it about the failure
29 Jun 2014
Why is Ethiopia the second poorest country on the planet?
Recently, a well-known correspondent for one of the major American media outlets stationed in Ethiopia sent me an email grousing about my article urging boycott of Coca Cola in Ethiopia. He wrote, “I’m sorry to be blunt, but I don’t understand the thrust of this article [on boycotting Coca Cola]. You seem intent on misleading
22 Jun 2014
No Country for Ethiopian Human Rights Abusers
The U.S. Justice Department encourages Ethiopians to report human-rights abusers hiding in plain view in America They are hidden in plain view. They have been hiding in plain view in the U.S. for over 30 years. They have been hiding in plain view in the U.S. for just three years. They skulk around most of
15 Jun 2014
Why I am boycotting Ȼoca Ȼola
Coca Cola is NOT the real thing Diaspora Ethiopians are expressing their outrage on social and online media and calling for a boycott of Coca Cola Company for its unethical, arbitrary and unfair dealings with Ethiopia’s pop music superstar Teodros Kassahun (Teddy Afro). They say the Coca Cola Company singled out Teddy and maliciously targeted
08 Jun 2014
Who is afraid of the E(thiopian) bloggers?
Who is afraid of Eskinder Nega, Reeyout Alemu, Woubshet Taye, Zone Nine bloggers…? The “dean” of independent Ethiopian journalists and blogger extraordinaire, Eskinder Nega, is serving an 18 year sentence for blogging. The late Meles Zenawi personally ordered Eskinder’s arrest and even determined his sentence. Meles Zenawi feared and hated Eskinder Nega more than any
01 Jun 2014
Light at the end of the tunnel for the “Dark Continent”?
(Author’s note: This commentary appeared on Pambazuka.org on May 29, 2014 as part of a mid-century outlook on possible scenarios in Africa. I make my “predictions” debating myself as a political scientist and a defense lawyer.) Is there light at the end of the tunnel for the “Dark Continent”? “Making predictions is hard. Especially about the
25 May 2014
Ethiopia: Crimes Against University Students and Humanity
On May 2, 2014, BBC reported that the security forces of the regime in Ethiopia had massacred at least 47 university and high school students in the town of Ambo 80 miles west of the capital Addis Ababa. The regime dismissed the massacre and tried to sweep it under the rug claiming that a “few anti-peace forces incited
19 May 2014
The “Farce” of U.S. Diplocrisy
Is the Obama Administration’s human rights policy a “farce”? Last week U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called Syrian president Bashar al-Assad a “terrorist” criminal and called Assad’s electoral plans a “farce”. “Assad’s is making partnership with terrorist elements, attracting terrorists and engaging in terrorist activities against his own people.” Assad’s planned presidential elections are
11 May 2014
Of Elections and Diapers in Ethiopia in 2015
Whether the people of Ethiopia are better off in 2014 than they were in 2010 or in 2005 is the sole question that should be decided in the 2015 parliamentary “election”. If they are not, the people should vote to change diapers. After all, “politicians are like diapers. They both need changing regularly and
04 May 2014
Is Obama on the Right Side of (Ethiopian) History?
The sophistry of history President Obama likes to pontificate about being on the “right side of history” and rhetorically clobber those who are on the “wrong side of history”. Debating Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election and defending his own record, Obama said, “… they can say that the president of the United States