Author Archive

Thank you for inviting me to speak at the Ethiopia Roundtable Forum of the Canadian Peacebuilding Coordinating Committee (CPCC) in Ottawa, Canada. The CPCC network, which is made up of about 75 Canadian organizations and individual members involved in peacebuilding and conflict prevention activities, is engaged in enabling dialogue on peace and conflict issues and

(Full text of speech given at the University of Minnesota Law School, Conference “On the New Breed of African Leaders and the Future of Human Rights and Democracy in Africa”, April 6, 2007.) Thank you very much. It feels great coming back to my alma mater after nearly a quarter of a century. Momentary Reflection

[Post originally appeared on Saturday, March 31, 2007.] http://almariamforthedefense.blogspot.com/2007/03/hummingbird-and-forest-fire-diaspora.html Foreword: “The Whole is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts” 100,000 letters. 50 State Resolutions. 77 million people. We are on the move! For many of us, the past few weeks have been pretty exciting times in Diaspora grassroots activism. We managed to launch some notable

February 19, 2007 The Honorable George W. BushPresident of the United StatesThe White House1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President: In your second inaugural speech on January 20, 2005, you made a magnificent promise to all people in the world who endure under despotism and dictatorship, “All who live in tyranny and

(Text of speech given at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University on February 8, 2007.) Thank you very much. Good evening, and thank you all for coming to this event. Before I make my presentation, I would like to thank the sponsors of this event. First, I would