A massive funeral procession was held for Ethiopia’s legendary artist Tilahun Gessesse today in Addis Ababa, a city where he died unable to get the most basic emergency medical care. Tens of thousands of people participated in the procession as the video below shows. (Sorry for the quality of the video. It was recorded by the incompetent staff of the Woyanne-controlled ETV)
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
The “U.S. threatens Eritrea over support for al-Qaeda-linked terrorists” article is obviously based on a catchy tittle with no substance of truth. The thought of America invading Eritrea is really poor journalism at it’s best. The reason why other major news sites like BBC, NYT and CNN have not covered this story is because it’s a hoax. The thought of an Obama adminstration invading or even mentioning that they will invade an African country, for something insignificant as supporting a rag-tag rebel group in Somalia, that was invaded by another regime Eritrea is at odds with is really a bad joke. The source of the article is the London Telegraph newspaper, and from reading the article, one can see this is trash. As a journalist, you need to cover both sides of the story and with that article the reporter published, one can see she covers a side created by her imagination. Had the Obama administration suggested war on any nation, it would be breaking news on all the major networks and we’d have a constant bombardment of television news coverage, not to mention Fox News would give Obama an ear full of, “i told u so”… [Read More. Click here]
MALAWI (Nyasa Times) — Just under a month after police arrested over 100 Ethiopians for trying to illegally flee the country, another contingent of 62 Ethiopians has been nabbed in Mwanza district as it attempted to do likewise.
Mwanza Police Station Officer Joel Makomwa confirmed that police arrested the 62 refugees on Sunday as they headed for the Mwanza border.
He said the Ethiopians had fled from Dzaleka Refugee camp in Dowa and were on their way to South Africa via Mozambique.
The station officer explained that police were surprised with the foreigners as they walked towards the boarder.
“When approached they could not speak English so we arrested them and took them to our station,” he said.
The group is believed to be part of the over 100 Ethiopians who were arrested two weeks ago in Dedza as they headed for Dedza Boarder Post on their way to South Africa through Mozambique.
By Josh Green | Gwinnett Daily Post
ATLANTA – Defense attorneys for Quincy Jackson argued Tuesday that a popular premise of modern-day prosecution is flawed: It’s wrong, they said, to convict a man based on evidence that his cell phone was at the scene of a crime.
“There should be evidence that puts the phone in the man’s hands,” attorney David Fife said in closing arguments.
Jurors are tasked with deciding whether to side with Fife, or with prosecutors who say Jackson – and, by extension, his phone – was the conduit for a wave of robberies that culminated in murder.
Superior Court Judge Timothy Hamil released jurors to deliberate after 5 p.m., capping more than a week of testimony in Jackson’s murder trial. The Riverdale man is accused of participating in a robbing crew that terrorized two Gwinnett (a suburb of Atlanta) families in three robberies leading up to the suffocation death of Tedla Lemma, 51, in March 2008. Tedla is an immigrant from Ethiopia.
Though no physical evidence ties Jackson to the scenes, Assistant District Attorney Christa Kirk said witness testimony, cell phone records and wire-tapped phone conversations between Jackson and a key co-defendant are enough to implicate him.
“In this case, by planning it, getting the muscle and getting in that house, Quincy Jackson is just as responsible as anybody else,” Kirk told the jury.
The state’s star witness, Lorna Araya, an acquaintance of Jackson’s from college, testified this week she masterminded the hits, but only after Jackson had asked her to. Prosecutors have dropped the possibility of a life sentence in exchange for Araya’s cooperation. Lorna is also an immigrant from Ethiopia.
Jackson waived his right to testify earlier Tuesday.
Fife argued that prosecutors could have crafted a plea bargain with Araya prior the trial, but were too “ashamed” that jurors might learn of her potentially forgiving sentence. Her sentence, Fife said, will be contingent on her “performance” in court.
Fife contends that Araya has repeatedly lied to investigators and prosecutors in an attempt to cover for her boyfriend, Gerald Rhines, who Fife said spearheaded one robbery.
“We know that she’s lied many times to protect herself,” Fife said. “Her personal credibility is very low.”
Kirk pointed out that Lemma’s wallet and other items were found at Jackson’s Riverdale home. That home, however, is shared by Marshae Brooks, who Fife said admitted to robbing Lemma and could have possessed the wallet.
Jackson, who worked at home as a Web page designer prior to his arrest, pleaded not guilty to the charges in his 17-count indictment and has never admitted to being involved, Fife said. He faces life in prison.
Jury deliberations are expected to resume this morning.
By Kashmir Hill | Above the Law
Some of our DC-based readers may have spotted this anti-DLA Piper (a law firm) ad making its way around town via taxi. A reader sent us this photo, saying: :I saw this cab on Connecticut Ave. in front of the Mayflower yesterday and it caught my attention. Strange.”
Our first response was, “Bad PR for DLA Piper, but doesn’t everybody already know that blood money is the currency of Biglaw?” Our second response was to find out about this legislation and reach out to the firm.
The American Lawyer wrote in 2008 about the Piper’s playing the flute for the Ethiopian government. Partners Dick Armey, a former House majority leader, and Gary Klein lobbied on Capitol Hill on behalf of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, who angered human rights advocates in 2005 with violent crackdowns on protesters during the elections there. The American Lawyer reports that the Piper was playing to the tune of over $50,000 a month. That’s a whole lot of injera.
The taxi ad refers to a bill, {www:S.3457}, introduced by Senators Feingold and Leahy “to reaffirm United States objectives in Ethiopia and encourage critical democratic and humanitarian principles and practices.” Or, in other words, a bill to encourage Ethiopia not to inflict violent crackdowns on its citizens. DLA Piper’s lobbying efforts may have paid off. The bill has been languishing with the Committee on Foreign Relations since 2008.
DLA Piper’s spokesman told us that the firm’s representation of the Ethiopian government actually ended in November. A statement from the firm refers indirectly to the protesting taxi driver (and other DLA Piper opponents): “There are some very vocal elements of the Ethiopian Diaspora, particularly in the Washington area, who are opponents of the current administration in Ethiopia and go to great lengths to try to embarrass or demean those who are associated with it.”
See the full statement, after the jump. DLA Piper may no longer have Ethiopia as a client, but the firm is actively helping to churn out new lawyers over in Addis Ababa.
DLA Piper says its representation of the Ethiopians ceased in November, though it’s still involved in pro bono initiative sending its lawyers to Addis Ababa to teach law school to aspiring Ethiopian esquires.
STATEMENT FROM DLA PIPER
For several years, DLA Piper provided advice and counsel to the democratically elected government of Ethiopia on a wide range of public policy, regulatory, legislative and legal matters. Our work focused on strengthening bilateral relations with the US, including humanitarian, economic and development assistance, trade and investment opportunities, and enhancing relationships with Congress and the Administration. In the past, the firm also provided legal support to the Government of Ethiopia at the International Court of Justice at the Hague on the Ethiopia-Eritrean border dispute. Our government affairs teams have worked with them in London and Brussels as well as Washington, DC.
This representation has ended, but we are continuing to assist Ethiopia on pro bono initiatives. In conjunction with the Northwestern University Law School, DLA Piper lawyers are teaching classes for the next generation of aspiring legal professionals at the law school in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. This is in addition to a number of major pro bono projects we are working on across Africa, including a new project to document systematic sexual violence by the Mugabe government against politically active women in Zimbabwe.
Ethiopia is an emerging democracy and an important ally of the United States in a troubled region of the world. The country has made remarkable progress in the last two decades, moving from dictatorship to a system of free elections, and a commitment to prosperity and greater inclusiveness. There are some very vocal elements of the Ethiopian Diaspora, particularly in the Washington area, who are opponents of the current administration in Ethiopia and go to great lengths to try to embarrass or demean those who are associated with it. While we disagree with these individuals and do not believe their views reflect the majority of Ethiopian Americans, we fully support their right to voice their opinions on this matter.
Source: DLA Piper Pleads Ethiopia’s Case Against Human Rights Sanctions [American Lawyer]