August 30th,2010 by Alemayehu G.Mariam
Never thought I would appeal to Rodney King for political wisdom and insight in seeking an end to the internecine warfare in the Ethiopian opposition and plead for reconciliation, understanding and common sense. True, Rodney King is no Martin King, but in this instance I am going to invoke Rodney while pleading Martin to get Ethiopia’s opposition leaders to re-think and re-examine their strategy of mutual assured destruction (MAD).
It was amusing to read this past week a story about criminal charges filed against one faction of the Unity and Democracy Party [UDJ] (Andenet) by another faction of the same party in Ethiopia. Charged with disturbing the peace this past April are some of the prominent leaders and members of the UDJ. It is alleged that the defendants threw rocks at the party office and created disturbances while party members worked inside. Several witnesses testified for the prosecution at a hearing and the matter was continued to a later date
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Prof. Alemayehu G.mariam | August 23rd, 2010
 After a half century of national existence, democratic experimentation and stability, Kenya has degenerated into a tribal/ethnic basket case beset by violence, fear and loathing… Kenya could have easily avoided this calamity. It had all of the tools at its disposal — a functioning and well-oiled electoral process, a civically engaged population, a democratic political culture enriched by prior voting experiences, an active and independent press, and a reasonably professional and independent judiciary, among others. It could have peacefully and amicably resolved the persisting questions of land ownership and redistribution, democratic power sharing, and grievances over issues of ethnic domination… Kibaki understood the implications of the theft of the presidential election for Kenyan national politics. He was fully aware of the potential for ethnic upheavals and widespread violence. He thought he could handle it by replicating the lessons of Kenya’s neighbor to the north, and perpetuate himself in power by introducing the discredited politics of “ethnic federalism.”[1]
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Saturday, August 21, 2010
A. Taye (Addis Voice) Professor Mesfin Woldemariam and twelve formermembers of the Unity for Democracy and Justice Party have been charged with causing public disorder.
The majority of the defendants appeared at the Kirkos first instance court. But founder of the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, Professor Mesfin, did not appear but his attorney told the court that the professor had not received summon from the court’s registrar.
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August 16th, 2010
“Beware of Greeks bearing gifts,” goes the old saying. I say beware of those bearing fake olive branches. In many societies, “extending an olive branch” symbolizes an act of reconciliation, goodwill and peace. In ancient Greece and Rome, people gave each other olive branches as tokens of their intention to bury the hatchet and make up. The ancient Greeks are also remembered for the hollow wooden horse they used to outwit their Trojan enemies and destroy their city.
Following his 99.6 per cent “election victory” this past May, Ethiopia’s dictator-in-chief Meles Zenawi gave a speech offering the opposition a bouquet of olive branches. He solemnly “pledge[d] to all the parties who did not succeed in getting the support of the people… as long as you respect the will of the people and the country’s Constitution and other laws of the land, we will work by consulting and involving you in all major national issues. We are making this pledge not only because we believe that we should be partners… [but also] you have the right to participate and to be heard.” Basically, he promised to set up a special “kitchen cabinet” for the opposition to come in and chit-chat (“consult and get involved”) with him after hours.
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August 8th, 2010
The Significance of Ethnic Identification:
Clarifying the Essentials and Dispelling the Illusions (By Tesfaye Habisso)
“The conflicts that have occupied most men over the past two or three decades and which have led to the most horrendous outpouring of blood have had precious little to do with ideological divisions… In a world of the jet engine, nuclear energy, the computer, and the regionalized organizations, the principal conflicts are not ideological but tribal [ethnic]. Those differences among men which were supposed to be swept away by science and technology and political revolution are as destructive as ever.” [Said & Lerche, 1995:247].
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It is no secret that the Ethiopian Satellite Television, ESAT, has become the most popular television program in Ethiopia and around the world. Despite the continuous jamming of ESAT by the Ethiopian regime, ESAT has stolen the hearts of millions in such a short time. Tens of thousands have called ESAT television station when it went off the air twice.
The emails and the numerous telephone calls ESAT’s office recieved seem to indicate a solid moral backing for this free media. And ESAT is a must-have for our people in Ethioipa who at this time are denied access to free television and print media. That is why our people need ESAT more than anything else. They want to be informed and they like to know what is actually going on in their country. Knowledge is power. Informed people can and will change their circumstances. They will bring, on their own, the changes they seek.
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Eskinder Nega | August 7th, 2010
Medrek announced plans to transform its loose coalition to the elevated status of a “front” at the end of last week. Its constituent members dipped to six from the original eight, after dropping one of its two Pan-Ethiopian groupings and its lone Somali based organization. The rotating presidency has now gone to UDJ’s deputy, Gizatchew Shiferaw; a position he will hold for four months.
Few of the opposition’s even most ardent supporters clamored to celebrate, though. The painful delay notwithstanding, the public was still aching to hear about plans for resistance against this year’s vile “election results.” Anything else was unavoidably an anti-climax.
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By Abebe Gellaw | August 7th, 2010
Today two Ethiopian groups with conflicting interests held two different rallies in Washington DC. The first one was organised by tyranny lovers, those mostly associated with the ruling party with an ideology called opportunism. It is not that they never know what is going on in their country, but they have chosen to deliberately deny and distort the reality in the service of tyranny. The majority of them are in fact members and supporters of the hegemonic Tigray Peoples Liberation Front. So what they are up to is no secret.
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Ephrem Madebo | August 6th, 2010
“But the OPDO development is – development and repression at the same time. They can build roads to the moon but I won’t vote for them until we’re equal” Anonymous Oromo Peasant
The above quote is not a random view of the Oromo peasant interviewed by Jason McLure of the Blumberg News, or it is not an isolated remark made by a displeased individual in the Oromia region; it’s a reality that hovers all over Ethiopia, and it’s a bed time story that parents tell to their children. It is not an opinion shaped by the affluent, or by the power mongers, as the TPLF gangs would claim; it is a collective belief that a large majority of Ethiopians share regardless of ethnic, religious, or political affiliations.
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Today the news of many Ethiopian sites and radios like VoA has been the step up of Medrek to a new Front. We have learned from the news release that Medrek, whose constituents have been six parties hitherto, is going to hold a conference tomorrow, Saturday, July 31, 2010, to form a Front better than its present shape.
I don’t want to manifest my skepticism at this very early stage. It is therefore my pleasure to appreciate this move as positive and constructive. It is a good attempt. It is fine to try any possibility that may help galvanize the people of the country towards their freedom from the untold tyranny of Melesism which has been most destructive of all -isms ever seen in the history of mankind.
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