Berhanu Nega-Bucknell University

"Thus ended the Ethiopian democratic experiment that had started with such high hopes, leaving the country in the darkness of totalitarian rule," Nega said, in a talk on campus in February. ...more..

Barack Obama has a unique opportunity to bring something resembling stability to Africa's Horn. (Newsweek)

But as a foreign-policy initiative, Somalia's problems offer Obama a unique chance to sketch a bold path forward in the region. After the Bush administration backed the Ethiopian invasion in 2006, helping to overthrow the moderate Islamic Courts Union, Somalia descended into war, and the Bush policy radicalized an ever-larger portion of the population. But Obama, whose world view embraces the idea of talking to one's enemies, could shift course on this policy failure and increase stability by re-engaging with the Islamists, and in particular with the young fighters who make up the ranks of al-Shabab, the Islamists who have been gaining strength over the last two years and continue to drag Somalia further into chaos....more..

What Obama’s Presidency means to my daughter from Ethiopia (Tadias)

...Because I am Tibarek’s mom, I feel an extra connection to the joy of the African American and African communities here and all over the world that a black man is the new leader of America.....More..

Ethiopian-American Artist Prepares For Grammy Awards (Tdias)

“It wasn’t always easy growing up as an Ethiopian-American, especially at the time I was coming of age,” she confesses. “Because there were far fewer of us here — far different from the experience Ethiopian teenagers have today.”...more..

Ethiopia curb on charities alarms human rights activists (Guardian)

The critics of the Meles Zenawi government say the law is but the latest in a series of measures aimed at cracking down on dissent, ranging from the censorship of the media to the arrest of opposition leaders. The US and Britain have tried to persuade the Ethiopian government, which is a major beneficiary of foreign aid, to dilute the measure....more...

Ethiopian Forces Complete Somalia Pullout ( The New York Times)

The Ethiopian intervention in Somalia did not achieve its stated purpose of curbing Islamist insurgents, who have retaken most of the country....more..

The right and wrong sides of history (Abugida)

All dictators are on the wrong side of history because they “cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent.” They are on wrong side of history because they have no legitimacy: They seize power by force and without the consent of the people, cling to power by brutal repression, stealing elections and suppressing democratic opposition. They fill their prisons with hundreds of thousands of innocent citizens, snatch opposition leaders from the streets, make a travesty of democracy by stage managing a rubberstamp parliament,...more..

Ethiopian Separatists Accuse Government of Killing 48 Civilians (bloomberg)

“The area was closed off for several days in order to remove the bodies and eliminate the evidence of a massacre,” the ONLF said. “These people were unarmed.” State officials weren’t available to comment on the allegation...more..