Honor Among Thieves

Originally appeared in Ethiomedia Editorial | January 28, 2008 http://www.ethiomedia.com/access/honor_among_thieves.html Mwai KibakiMeles Zenawi There may be no honor among ordinary thieves, but it seems there is honor among those who steal elections. In a recent interview in the Guardian newspaper, Meles Zenawi defended the honor of his soulmate and co-religionist at the altar of election…

Long Live the King! Long Live the Dream! Long Live H.R. 2003!

Long Live the King! Long Live the Dream! Long Live H.R. 2003!

What Would Dr. King Say?Recently, there was a “tempest in a teapot” between Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama over Dr. Martin Luther King’s role and contributions in the civil rights movement. Hilary said, “Dr. King’s dream began to be realized when President Lyndon Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It took a President…

H.R. Stands for Human Rights: Let’s Stand Up for H.R. 2003 in 2008

H.R. Stands for Human Rights: Let’s Stand Up for H.R. 2003 in 2008

H.R. Here, H.R. There, H.R. Everywhere in Ethiopia!The truth is finally out! The H.R. in H.R. 2003 stands for Human Rights! H.R. has become the special code for the Ethiopian people whenever they want to talk about the rule of law and due process and freedom of expression and association. It has become their special…

Monkey Trial in Kangaroo Kourt:Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demessie in the “Lions’ Den”

Monkey Trial in Kangaroo Kourt:Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demessie in the “Lions’ Den”

The Crime of InnocenceIt is often said that truth is stranger than fiction. The grotesque prosecution of Daniel Bekele and Netsanet Demissie is much stranger than the grim and chilling fictional story of Joseph K., in Franz Kafka’s The Trial. The first sentence in Kafka’s book reads, “Someone must have been telling lies about Joseph…

Remember, the Ethiopian Martyrs of June and November, 2005 Forever!

Remember, the Ethiopian Martyrs of June and November, 2005 Forever!

Note to the reader: It was a year ago today, November 16, 2007, that Frehiwot Samuel, Woldemichael Meshesha and Mitiku Teshome briefed the United States Congress on the findings of their Inquiry Commission. Because of their extraordinary courage in revealing the truth to the world, we are here today to commemorate the victims of the…

We Demand an Apology, Senator Inhofe!

We Demand an Apology, Senator Inhofe!

Senator James Inhofe 453 Russell Senate Office BldgWashington, D.C. 20510 FAX: (202) 228-0380 Dear Senator Inhofe: I am writing to demand an apology for the racist, scurrilous, truculent, degrading, offensive and manifestly untruthful statements you made on the floor of the Senate on October 17, 2007. I. Ethiopians Demand An Apology For Your Racist, Slanderous…

One Small Step for the U.S. Congress, One Giant Leap for Ethiopian Human Rights

One Small Step for the U.S. Congress, One Giant Leap for Ethiopian Human Rights

“It is a great day for America! It’s a great day for Ethiopia!” Congressman Donald Payne Passage of H.R. 2003 on October 2, 2007 in the U.S. House of Representatives marked a great day for Ethiopia as did the lunar landing of Apollo 11 for humanity on July 20, 1969. When astronaut Neil Armstrong first…

Truth Fest In L.A.

Truth Fest In L.A.

They said Ethio-Angelinos are apolitical, depoliticized and disengaged from politics. It stings a little when it is said by former Ethio-Angelinos: “When it comes to Ethiopian politics, Los Angeles is rarely mentioned. It is a city with the second or third largest number of Ethiopians, but it is a place where the least political activity…