Al Mariam’s Commentaries

Here we go again! Trot out the Somali jihadist bogeyman (aya jibo). Get out the smoke machine and mirrors. Show time! Act I. Narrator Zenawi: “Somalia is becoming a haven for terrorist. The sheiks of terror have declared an unholy war on Ethiopia, and the U.S. of A. They are on the outskirts. This is…

How the tables can turn… When Mr. Hastert bottled H.R. 5680 in the International Relations Committee just before the midterm recess, most supporters of the bill were deeply disappointed, and angry. We had labored long and hard to get the bill to the floor, and done a marvelous job of generating unanimous bipartisan support for…

ETHIOPIAN AMERICAN AND ETHIOPIAN LAWYERS IN THE UNITED STATES CONDEMN THE REGIME OF MELES ZENAWI FOR PERSECUTING ETHIOPIAN LAWYERS AND FOR ITS CONTINUING PRACTICES OF GROSS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS Ethiopian American and Ethiopian lawyers in the United States strongly condemn the regime of Meles Zenawi for its recent unlawful arrest and detention of Ethiopian civil/human…

Alemayehu G. Mariam and Obang Metho In all of the excitement surrounding H.R. 5680, it seems we have overlooked some simple but critical questions: Are Ethiopian Americans the only group in the Diaspora who have the duty to defend and promote freedom, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia? Do Ethiopians living in Europe, Canada and…

My friends and fellow Ethiopian-Americans in Illinois, and those of you particularly in the 14th Illinois Congressional District: I thank you for inviting me to join you in discussing the fate of H.R. 5680, and what you can do to help it get to the floor of the House for a vote. I regret that…

(Text of Prof. Alemayehu Gebre Mariam’s speech at the premier of the documentary “Betrayal of Democracy” at the University of California, Los Angeles, Ackerman Union, September 16, 2006. “Betrayal of Democracy,” Obang Metho, Producer, in association with the University of Saskatchewan, Canada.) *** This speech followed immediately after the showing of Betrayal of Democracy.*** Thank…

Interviewer’s Note: Prof. Alemayehu has written various pieces on H.R. 5680, most recently, a widely read analysis entitled “Could the Somali Crisis Affect Passage of H.R. 5680.” The H.R. 5680 Task Force recently caught up with him to get his insights and sense of the legislative process on H.R. 5680 as members of Congress gear…

Prowling and SkulkingSeveral weeks ago, an alliance of Somali Islamist militia leaders calling itself the Supreme Islamic Courts Council (SICC), (Majilis al-shura Council) captured the Somali capital Mogadishu, and the nearby towns of Jowhar and Balad. The SICC is suspected of having ties to al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. The “word on the street” is…