Blog Archives

Not a safe planet to be an Ethiopian.

Not a safe planet to be an Ethiopian. By Yilma Bekele
The terrorist group ISIL murdered twenty eight Ethiopians in cold blood in the deserts of Libya. In Durban South Africa two Ethiopian brothers aged twenty two and twenty four …

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Remembering the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa

South Africa, 1960 

On March 21, 1960, exactly 55 years ago today, a crowd estimated at five thousand (according to apartheid police 20 thousand, inflated to justify their extreme response) gathered in front of a police station in the South …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The Poison of Ethnic Federalism in Ethiopia’s Body Politic

ethnic federalismThe Thugtatorship of the Tigrean Peoples Liberation (T-TPLF) adopted its fabricated constitution for Ethiopia on December 8, 1994.

The Preamble to that constitution declares, “We the Nations, Nationalities and People of Ethiopia…” have written the constitution to 1) “secure the

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Andargachew Tsige and the struggle for freedom.

Andargachew Tsige and the struggle for freedom. By Yilma Bekele

Andargachew Tsige was taken prisoner by the TPLF Woyane regime on June 24/’13 while on transit at Sana, Yemen International Airport. He was removed from the airplane and flown to …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The Ethiopian Diaspora and consciousness

By Yilma Bekele

The Bay Area that currently is home away from home for thousands of Ethiopians is nothing like any other place that I have known. I was born in a small village on the southern part of Ethiopia …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

2007-A year of decision

2007-A year of decision by Yilma Bekele

Happy New Year Ethiopia (መልካም እንቁጣጣሸ) Meskerem is a special month. We love and honor Meskerem so much that we name our children by it signifying a new beginning for the long journey …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Getting to know me better.

Getting to know me better. By Yilma Bekele
I am in the process of weaning myself from my daily dose of reading about the madness of Woyane. It is not easy. After over two decades of being visually, mentally and …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The perils of outsourcing the fight for freedom

By Yilma Bekele

I could have titled this piece ‘Obama and his Africa peace keepers’ but that would not be fair. Anybody with half a brain can see that I am trying to make my issue to be his problem. …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Rise of the Daughters of Ethiopia!

Semayawi Women“We can’t take it anymore!”
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The shameful act of OPDO

The shameful act of OPDO. By Yilma Bekele

oromo2

I came across a clip of a VOA interview from Ethiopia. It is about the unveiling of a new statue in Oromia Kilil (Bantustan), Arsi Zone, Hitosa Wereda named Anole Statue and …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopian (Woyane) Airlines hijacked

Ethiopian (Woyane) Airlines hijacked. By Yilma Bekele

The Name is Ethiopian but that particular property belongs to our Woyane masters. It is there for the TPLF to do what it wants. It started with such promise and grew up to …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Et tu ESAT?

By Yilma Bekele

‘Et, tu Brute?’ is what the Roman Emperor Julius Caesar was heard to have said when he saw his dear friend Marcus Brutus in league with his assassins. In English he was saying ‘you too, Brutus?’ It …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

How to honor Mandela in Ethiopia.

How best to honor Madiba in Ethiopia. By Yilma Bekele

President Mandela was inspired by the history and people of a place called Ethiopia and today we Ethiopians look at the life of this great man as an inspiration and …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Welcome to Ethiopia, let me have your bag

By Yilma Bekele

I hope you are sitting down while reading the story I am about to tell you. Unfortunately it is a true story and it couldn’t have happened anywhere but in good old Ethiopia. When it comes to …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Woyanne bringing the war to America

‘Things come apart so easily when they have been held together with lies.’ Is what comes to mind when we see the behavior of the Ethiopian government and its response to the Ethiopian tragedy taking place in the Kingdom of …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The angry children of Ethiopia.

The angry children of Ethiopia. By Yilma Bekele

We really are a special people. No matter how far we go one eye is always on Ethiopia. The last few days we saw something we did not like. Ethiopians on all …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

An Ethiopian walking on eggshells.

An Ethiopian walking on eggshells. By Yilma Bekele
No question I have to be careful writing this column. That is why I choose the title. Some of us are quick to take offense or assume holier than thou attitude when …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Bahr Dar and the wonderful art of silence.

Bahr Dar and the wonderful art of silence. By Yilma Bekele
Last Sunday May 12 a Federal police officer opened fire and murdered twelve or eighteen people depending on who is doing the counting in the City of Bahr Dar …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Keep your eyes on the prize.

Keep your eyes on the prize. By Yilma Bekele

We are witnessing a flurry of news from the TPLF party that calls itself the Ethiopian government. Why is the Woyane party so busy and why is the party pushing its …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopia: Shadowboxing Smoke and Mirrors

 shadowMeles Zenawi when he was alive and his apostles today (“Melesistas”) keep playing us in the Diaspora like a cheap fiddle. They make us screech, shriek, scream and shout by simply showing their mugs in our cities. How do they

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Mengistu Hailemariam and our moral compass

Mengistu Hailemariam and our moral compass. By Yilma Bekele.
Today I felt like crawling under the blanket and just hide. I know that is what children do. They think hiding under the blanket makes them invisible. It give them a …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

ESAT and messengers of peace in Jose, Ca.

ESAT and messengers of peace in Jose, Ca. By Yilma Bekele

Tamagne was here. I wrote that and felt I have said enough. Well since you asked I guess I will tell you the rest of the story. I thought …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

I am an Amara.

I am an Amara. “ene Amara negne.”- By Yilma Bekele
“Ich bin ein Berliner.” – “I am a Berliner” Those words were spoken by President John F. Kennedy on June 26, 1963 in West Berlin. He said that to show …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Violence and the Ethiopians.

Violence and the Ethiopians. By Yilma Bekele
We always think of our people to be so loving that welcome a stranger into their homes and share what little they have. Our language is full of sayings about being a good …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

TPLF and the culture of violence

TPLF and the culture of violence. By Yilma Bekele.
According to ESAT the FBI has foiled an attempt by the Ethiopian government to assassinate Ato Abebe Gelaw. Goosh Abera and his accomplices are under custody. Please note here I said …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopia: A New Prime Minister in a New Year

By Alemayehu G Mariam

hmEthiopians had their new year on September 11. It is now 2005. On September 21, they also got a new prime minster. How delightfully felicitous to have a new prime minister in the new year! Heartfelt …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Home and country burglarized

By Yilma Bekele
Someone broke into our house. They forced the backdoor open and went through every square inch of the house. They turned our mattress over, pilfered through our drawers and left the closet in a mess. It was …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

An Ethiopian with election envy.

An Ethiopian with election envy. By Yilma Bekele
The US is getting ready for presidential elections. 2012 will be the 57th time elections have taken place. The first election was held in 1788 and there were five contestants and it …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopia: Time for Radical Improvements

Alemayehu G Mariam

pp2It is time to bury the hatchet and move forward in Ethiopia! Nelson Mandela taught that “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Why are they making us cry?

By Yilma Bekele

The Ethiopian people have been told to show grief regarding the death of Meles Zenawi. This is sadness by government decree and it is not unique to us. We just witnessed it happen in North Korea but …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or leopard its spots?

By Yilma Bekele

Is Meles Zenawi dead or alive has become the burning question of the day. It is sad even in death or near death the tyrant does not get any respect. You would think after dominating the Ethiopian …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Meles Zenawi and his health

Ethiopia, Ato Meles and his health. By Yilma Bekele
Ato Meles Zenawi, Chairman of Tigrai People Liberation Front (TPLF) and Prime Minster of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is not in good health. I became aware of that fact …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The Great Renaissance Dam as a wedge issue

By Yilma Bekele

The Ethiopian government was peddling its ponzi scheme of selling bonds for the pie in the sky project named The Grand Renaissance Dam’ on the Abbay river here in the Bay Area. It was not as lavish …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Waldeba in my heart

Waldeba in my heart. By Yilma Bekele

Truth be told I was not aware of Waldeba Monastery until quite recently. Today I live Waldeba, I breathe Waldeba, and I believe Waldeba has taken over my soul. Mind you I am …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

My brother Abebe and his WMD

By Yilma Bekele

I doubt there is an Ethiopian in the Diaspora not familiar with what happened last Friday. As they say the video has gone viral. The act has brought deep satisfaction to the psych of the oppressed and …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Religion and Ethiopia

By Yilma Bekele

Two important meetings were held a week ago. One was in Addis Abeba and the other in Washington DC. Both were concerning our motherland and the future. That is where the similarities end. One was intended to …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

A note to President Obama

By Yilma Bekele

Dear President Obama,

I am sure you do not have time to read my letter nonetheless it gives me a certain amount of release from the pain I am feeling and the little chance of this letter …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The giant shows signs of life

By Yilma Bekele

I feel energized. Our freedom tree is bearing fruits. It is the result of the tireless effort of thousands if not millions of us working together in harmony. Due to the miracle of the Internet such as …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Loving Ethiopia to death – the Doctors

By yilma Bekele

On November 11, 2011, Yenesew Gebre was driven to kill himself on behalf of all suffering Ethiopians. He killed himself out of love for his people and country. He made the ultimate sacrifice to wake us up …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The Rule of Law in Ethiopia’s Democratic Transition

Alemayehu G Mariam

Rule of Law, Rule by Law, Rule by Unjust Law, Rule by Man

All of the weekly commentaries I have written over the years have been structured on a single fundamental principle: the rule of law. What …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

The displaced Ethiopians

By Yilma Bekele

I am sure we are all familiar with what is known as the ‘melting pot’ concept when it comes to describing how America functions. The term is a metaphor ‘for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopia and Winds of war

By Yilma Bekele

War is upon us again. War defines the Ethiopian Government. Since it came to power it has been at war with its citizens. No region or ethnic group has been spared from this infection. The regime is …

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Ethiopia as a waste disposal

By Yilma Bekele

The embattled former tyrant president of Yemen Ali Abdullah Saleh is going to settle in Ethiopia. Ethiopia will be his home in exile. Ethiopia was not his first choice. He wanted to settle in Oman his neighbor …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopia and Syria revisited

By Yilma Bekele

The Syrian regime is killing its own people to save the country from terrorists (ashebariwoch). The world is watching and keeping score. Thanks to social media such as Twitter and Facebook we are all witnessing this display …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

We’ve met the enemy and he is us

By Yilma Bekele

‘…. he was feared far beyond his might and respected far beyond his support, both which in the end proved meager. … would play one official off of another, promoting sons above their fathers, pitting the members …

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OLF and Ethiopia

By Yilma Bekele

The news that the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) has decided to struggle for freedom in consort with all Democratic forces in Ethiopia is the best Christmas present the Ethiopian people gave themselves. There is no question we …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Loving Ethiopia to death – the teacher

By Yilma Bekele

The last few months I have been inflicted with a Herman Cain (HC) moment. You remember his interview with a newspaper publisher and when asked his opinion regarding President Obama’s policy on the uprising in Libya? My …

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We are all prisoners

By Yilma Bekele

East Europe suffered under Soviet domination for over fifty years. While West Europe was marching forward, East Europe was engulfed in darkness and hopelessness. The Arabs with all their vast population and abundant natural resources stumbled around …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopia – In search of a common ground

By Yilma Bekele

How to manage and resolve conflict has always been our Achilles Heel. That is part of the reason why we stumble from one crisis to another. Last week was a perfect example of an attempt to try …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

VOA and its problems

By Yilma Bekele

There is an Amharic saying that comes to mind when you think of the current revelations regarding VOA and its dealings with Ethiopia and Ethiopians. Thanks to Ato Abebe Gelaw’s investigative work we are able to see …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Arrival of the Ethiopian Spring

By Yilma Bekele

No one likes a whiner. Why complain insistently when it is of no use. We used to be good at that. Whining was our domain. Did I just say ‘was’? Yes I did. It seems that we …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Exporting Kilil to America

By Yilma Bekele

Being an Ethiopian has always been difficult. The bad news is, it is not going to get any easier. Two weeks ago I found out it can be taken away too. It has come to a point …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Meles and our BEKA! moment

By Yilma Bekele

By all accounts the minority based dictatorial regime in Ethiopia is in big trouble. Circumstances in the neighborhood are a bit disconcerting to Meles and company. You can tell from the flurry of activity being orchestrated the …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ato Meles and his never-ending threats

By Yilma Bekele

The people’s uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East have been the talk of Ethiopians both at home and the Diaspora for the last month and half. We are surprised by the sudden fall of the …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

A Declaration in Defense of Human Rights in Ethiopia

By Alemayehu G. Mariam

John F. Kennedy said:

Those who make peaceful change impossible, make a violent revolution inevitable.”

The English colonial government made peaceful change impossible in the American colonies leading to the American Revolution in 1776, an event …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Dictatorship 101

By Yilma Bekele

According to Wiki “in contemporary usage, dictatorship refers to an autocratic form of absolute rule by leadership unrestricted by law, constitutions, or other social and political factors within the state.” That is what we have in Ethiopia. …

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ESFNA – an ugly face of Ethiopia

By Yilma Bekele

ልክ ነው ብዙ የተጣሱ አሰራሮች አሉ። ለዚህም ነው በመጀመሪያም ይቅርታ ለመጠየቅ የፈለኩት። የሥራ አስኪያጅ ኮሚቴው ሥራውን ብቁ በሆነ መንገድ እንዳልስራ እኔ ማመን ፈልጋለሁ። ለድምፅ እንኳን መቅረብ አልነበረበትም። ይሄን ነገር ድምፁን ግን እንደገና የመነጋገር መብት የቦርዱ አባሎች መብት

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Ethiopia: Interview With Birtukan Midekssa

Alemayehu G. Mariam

Note: Except for elements inserted in the nature of narrative license, syntax and independently established facts, this “interview” is based on English or Amharic translations of public statements, hearing testimony, speeches and other declarations[ 1] of Birtukan

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Putting Lipstick on a Pig, Ethiopian Style

Alemayehu G. Mariam

Last week, there was a great deal of teeth-gnashing, knuckle-cracking and gut-wrenching by Ethiopia’s dictators over Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) 2010 report. The dictators belched out much sound and fury that signified nothing. Their fury had to …

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