Author: almariam

This op-ed piece first appeared in The Hill on May 29, 2017 07:00. It was posted on almariam.com on July 16, 2017. http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/international-affairs/335559-ethiopia-at-tipping-point-as-congress-mulls-human BY AL MARIAM, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR – 05/29/17 07:00 PM EDT Ethiopia has been under a state of emergency decree since October 2016. That decree imposes “draconian restrictions on freedom of expression, association, and assembly that go far…

The T-TPLF Horsemen of the Apocalypse a quarter of a century later in Ethiopia On May 28, 1991, a rag tag rebel army of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) marched into Ethiopia’s capital. That day shall eternally live in infamy. The TPLF is a terrorist organization listed in the Global Terrorism Database. Ethiopia today…

I knew from the get go that the whole WHO “election” for “director-general” was a sham, a set up. Just like the 2015 Ethiopia “election” which resulted in a 100 percent “victory” for the Thugtatorship of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (T-TPLF).  Who was going to win the WHO job was a foregone conclusion. That…

Author’s Note: This month the Ethiopian popular music megastar Tewdros “Teddy Afro” Kassahun released his “Ethiopia” album, which quickly topped the World Albums Billboard chart during the week of May 15. This “commentary” consists of an English translation of Tewdros’ recent Amharic interview with reporter Elias Meseret of EthioNewsflash following the release of that album. I have prepared this…

Author’s Note: In this commentary, I make the case against Tedros Adhanom, a top leader of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front, a terrorist organization, who is a finalist for the director-general position at the World Health Organization. This commentary demonstrates beyond a shadow of doubt that Adhanom does not have the experience, competence, skill sets, intellectual…

              My interview with Voice of  America (Amharic) on the firing of James Comey, FBI Director, on May 13, 2017.  

Originally appeared in The Hill (o5/12/17.) http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/civil-rights/333175-universities-are-battlegrounds-berkeley-faculty-have [Posted on almariam.com on 7/28/17.] The People’s Republic of Berkeley, with its capital at UC Berkeley, was once ground zero in the battle to save the soul of free speech in America. That was over one-half century ago. But today, some view UC Berkeley as a bastion of reactionary political correctness. Recently,…

          My interview on  Ethiopian Satellite Television (ESAT) on “Law Day” (05/10/17) To view video, click on the link below:

“Guiding all of our foreign policy actions are our fundamental values: our values around freedom, human dignity, the way people are treated. These are our values… not our policies…   Policies change… our values never change.” Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, “Remarks to U.S. Department of State Employees”, May 3, 2017. Author’s Note: When I wrote…

Originally appeared in The Hill (o5/05/17.) [Posted on almariam.com on 5/24/17.] http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/foreign-policy/332093-us-doesnt-need-ethiopia-in-its-war-on-terror-in-the-horn-of ======================== Earlier this month, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis visited the Middle East and Africa to “reaffirm key U.S. military alliances” and engage with strategic partners.” Mattis only visited the tiny nation of Djibouti in the Horn of Africa where the U.S. maintains…