February 19, 2007 The Honorable George W. Bush President of the United States The White House 1600 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…
(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 first like to thank the sponsors of this event. First, I…
Never was so much owed by so many to so few… How does one thank those who put everything on the line to stand up for justice, truth and the Ethiopian way? How does one express appreciation to those who left their families, friends, neighbors and country to expose the truth about unspeakable crimes committed…
In August, 1991, Prime Minister Tamrat Layne presented his economic proposals for public debate. The 35-page (Amharic) booklet entitled Draft Transitional Economic Policy for Ethiopia sought to comprehensively address the country’s diverse economic problems. Generally, the proposals are uninspired, timid and cumulatively favor maintenance of the status quo. Magnitude of Economic Problems Ato Tamrat’s proposals…
In less than a month Mengistu HaileMariam and his Derg have been swept from the Ethiopian political landscape. Victory for the Ethiopian People’s Democratic Revolutionary Front (EPDRF) came quickly and Addis Ababa was captured with minimum resistance. The political implications of this victory however remain unclear. Historic ethnic antagonisms and rivalries continue to inspire an…
As opposition forces ringed Addis Ababa, Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam boarded an Ethiopian Airlines plane on May 22 and fled Ethiopia for a ranch in Zimbabwe. State-run radio announced Mengistu’s unceremonious departure without comment. After 14 years of iron-fisted rule, Mengistu left behind a demoralized army, a shattered economy, and an ethnically fragmented society. In…
