02 Mar 2014
The Race to Save Ethiopians Damned by the Dam
People of Omo River Basin sold down the river Exactly two years ago to the month, I wrote a commentary entitled, “The Dam and the Damned: Gilgel Gibe III Ethiopia” focusing on the impact of “development” in the Omo River Basin (ORB) in southern Ethiopia. In that commentary, I echoed the deep concerns voiced
23 Feb 2014
Dignifying Mining Corruption in Ethiopia Through EITI?
Cloaking corruption in international respectability and credibility The regime in Ethiopia is making a desperate second run to bring international respectability to its corrupt mining sector by re-applying for admission as an Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) candidate. According to Anthony Richter, Chairman of the Board of the Revenue Watch Institute and a board
16 Feb 2014
In Kontempt of Ethiopia’s Kangaroo Kourt?
A court of injustice or a court of cruel joke? I must confess that I take a bit of perverse pleasure in getting full vindication for my long held view that the regime in Ethiopia runs a kangaroo court system. For years, I have been saying that there is no rule of law in Ethiopia
09 Feb 2014
A Glimpse of the Creeping Famine in Ethiopia
Behold the rider of the Black Horse (famine) eyeing Ethiopia once again Last week, NBC News aired an investigative report by Martin Geissler on the creeping famine in Ethiopia : [Ethiopia] is the face of the world food crises. In a village in Southern Ethiopia, mothers cue with their malnourished children for emergency rations of food. They can’t
02 Feb 2014
Saving Ethiopia From the Chopping Block
WE live in a time that gives new meaning to Shakespeare’s line in Julius Caesar: “The evil that men do lives after them…” Today we come face to face with the evil Meles Zenawi has done when he lived. A piece of Ethiopia is retailed once again to the Sudan. They call it “border demarcation.”
26 Jan 2014
Kenyatta at the ICC: Is Justice Deferred, Justice Denied?
I am getting a little jittery over the repeated delays, postponements and all the backpedalling talk about “false evidence” and “lying witnesses” in the Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta International Criminal court trial. I don’t want to say I smell a rat but I feel like I am getting a whiff. Is the stage being set to let
20 Jan 2014
On Behalf of Semayawi Party, Thanks!
Thank you one and all who came out to the town hall meetings in the U.S. and Europe over the past several weeks and supported Semayawi Party! In a report last week, Ethiomedia.com described Semayawi Party (SP) as the “newest opposition sensation” which “raises new hopes” for nonviolent change in Ethiopia. Yilikal Getnet, Semayawi Party’s young
13 Jan 2014
Demonizing Ethiopian History: Propaganda Campaign Against Atse Menelik
The regime in power in Ethiopia today is orchestrating a full-court press demonization and vilification campaign against Atse Menelik II, the Nineteenth Century Ethiopian emperor whose centennial is being celebrated this year (Ethiopian calendar). The campaign is conducted largely through regime lackey-proxies, stooges and puppets. Through its minions, the regime has used the most loathsome
06 Jan 2014
2014: Year of the Ethiopian Chee-Hippo Generation
Part I: Rise of the Ethiopian Chee-Hippo Generation in 2014 In my first weekly commentary of 2013, I declared that year to be the “Year of Ethiopia’s Cheetah (young) Generation”. It was a great year for Ethiopia’s Cheetahs. I declare 2014 “Year of the Ethiopia’s Chee-Hippo Generation”. A Chee-Hippo is a Hippo (member of the
29 Dec 2013
2013: The Year of Ethiopia’s Rising Cheetahs in Review
In January 2013, I proclaimed, “2013 shall be the Year of Ethiopia’s Cheetah Generation.” I promised “to make my full contribution to uplift and support Ethiopia’s youth and to challenge them to rise up to newer heights.” They rose to greater heights. I pledged to “reach out to them, teach them and preach to them”.