Category Archives: Alemayehu G. Mariam

Ethiopia: The corruption Game By Alemayehu G Mariam

House cleaning or window dressing? Are they playing us like a cheap fiddle again? For a while, it was all about the Meles Dam and how to collect nickels and dimes to build it. That kind of played itself out. … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Op-ed | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Edu-corruption and Mis-education in Ethiopia By Alemayehu G Mariam

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” said Nelson Mandela. For the late Meles Zenawi and his apostles (the Melesistas) in Ethiopia, the reverse is true: Ignorance is the most powerful weapon you … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Op-ed | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Watching American Diplocrisy in Ethiopia By Alemayehu G. Mariam

America is Watching!? Diplomacy by hypocrisy is “diplocrisy”. Edmund Burke, the British statesman and philosopher, said “Hypocrisy can afford to be magnificent in its promises, for never intending to go beyond promise, it costs nothing.” We’ve heard many promises on … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Op-ed | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Audacity of Evil in Ethiopia By Alemayehu G. Mariam

by Alemayehu G. Mariam “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing”, said Edmund Burke. But what happens when evil triumphs over a good young woman journalist named Reeyot Alemu in Ethiopia? Do … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Op-ed | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: Right in Prison, Wrong on the Throne

By Alemayehu G Mariam Last April, I wrote a “Special Tribute to My Personal Hero Eskinder Nega”.  In that tribute, I groped for words as I tried to describe this common Ethiopian man of uncommon valor, an ordinary journalist of … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Op-ed | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Dragon Eating the Eagle’s Lunch in Africa? By Alemayehu G. Mariam

By Alemayehu G. Mariam Flight of the Eagle and pursuit of the Dragon In June 2011, during her visit to Zambia U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton pulled the alarm bell on a creeping “new colonialism” in Africa. While dismissing … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Somali, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Togo, Zambia, Zimbabwe | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: Rumors of Water War on the Nile?

Dam War of Words Late last month, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid Bin Sultan fired a shot across the bow from the Arab Water Council in Cairo to let the regime in Ethiopia know that his country takes … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: The Prototype African Police State By Alemayehu G. Mariam

When Erin Burnett of CNN   visited Ethiopia in July 2012,she came face-to-face with the ugly face of an African police state: We saw what an African police state looked like when I was in Ethiopia last month… At the … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: The politics of fear and smear By Alemayehu G Mariam

By Alemayehu G Mariam In December 2011, I wrote a commentary entitled, “Ethiopia: Land of Blood or Land of Corruption?” contrasting two portraits of Ethiopia. At the time, the portrait painted by Transparency International (TI) (Corruption Index) and Global Financial Integrity (GFI) … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: Rise of the Chee-Hippo Generation

The Silent World of Hippos on Planet Cheetah In my first weekly commentary of the new year, I “proclaimed” 2013 “Year of Ethiopia’s Cheetah Generation” (young people). I also promised to reach, teach and preach to Ethiopia’s youth this year … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: The Irresponsibility of the Privileged? By Alemayehu G. Mariam

Recently, Naom Chomsky, MIT Professor of Linguistics and arguably America’s foremost public intellectual, gave an interview to Al Jazeera on the social (ir)responsibility of American academics and intellectuals. Chomsky, 84, has been raising hell for over four decades, getting into … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: A time to heal, a time to reconcile

By Alemayehu G Mariam   Last week The Reporter reported :   An ethnic-based conflict between Addis Ababa University (AAU) students following derogatory graffiti posted on toilet-walls and library walls has left half a dozen students with severe injuries while … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia 2013: Year of the Cheetah Generation By Alemayehu G. Mariam

“The Cheetah Generation refers to the new and angry generation of young African graduates and professionals, who look at African issues and problems from a totally different and unique perspective. They are dynamic, intellectually agile, and pragmatic. They may be … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: Ring in Redress to All Humankind – By Alemayehu G. Mariam

By Alemayehu G. Mariam 2012 is gone. 2013 is on the way. Let us ring in redress to all humankind. I wish a happy and prosperous new year to all of my readers throughout the world. To those who have … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ethiopia 2012: Human Rights and Government Wrongs By Alemayehu G. Mariam

Another Groundhog Year In December 2008, I wrote a weekly commentary lamenting the fact that 2008 was “Groundhog Year” in Ethiopia: It was a repetition of 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004… Everyday millions of Ethiopians woke up only to find themselves … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Ethiopia: Will the U.S. Stand by the Side of Brave Africans?

By Alemayehu G. Mariam If History is on the Side of Brave Africans, Shouldn’t the U.S. be Too? When President Obama visited Accra, Ghana in 2009, he delivered two distinct political messages within one overarching moral imperative: “History is on … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Susan Rice and Africa’s Unholy Trinity by Alemayehu G. Mariam

Matriarch of the Unholy Trinity Susan Rice, the current U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., has been waltzing (or should I say do-se-do-ing) with Africa’s slyest, slickest and meanest dictators for nearly two decades. More cynical commentators have said she has … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, Djibouti, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ethiopia: The Tall Tale of Susan Rice

On September 2, 2012, Susan Rice, the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., delivered a nauseatingly sentimental oration at the funeral of Ethiopian dictator Meles Zenawi. She called Meles “selfless and tireless” and “totally dedicated to his work and family.” She … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Ethiopia: I Remember!

by Alemayehu G. Mariam Never Again! On June 6-8 and November 1-4, 2005, following the Ethiopian parliamentary elections in May of that year, hundreds of citizens who protested the theft of that election were killed or seriously wounded by police … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, East Africa, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Should Ethiopians Expect in a Second Obama Term?

By ALEMAYEHU G MARIAM It is proper to congratulate President Obama on his re-election to a second term. He put up a masterful campaign to earn the votes of the majority of American voters. Mitt Romney also deserves commendation for … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ethiopian Americans Gotta Vote in 2012!

It’s Not Just About an Election   In September, I expressed my support for President Barack Obama’s re-election. I told my readers that I enthusiastically supported candidate Obama in 2008 but was disappointed by his Administration’s policy in Ethiopia and … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ethiopia’s Reeyot: “The Price for My Courage”

Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam There are few things more difficult or dangerous than speaking truth to abusers of power. But for Reeyot Alemu, the 31 year-old young Ethiopian heroine of press freedom, no price is high enough to keep her … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Eritrea, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ethiopia: What We Can Learn from Our Distance Runners

By ALEMAYEHU G MARIAM Ethiopia is known for the best and the worst. Ethiopia is known for the legendary hospitality and charm of its people, unrivaled beauty of its picturesque landscape, fabulous coffee and, of course, unbeatable distance runners. Ethiopia … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: An Early Warning for a Famine in 2013

By Alemayehu G. Mariam For the past several months, there has been much display of public sorrow and grief in Ethiopia. But not for the millions of invisible Ethiopians who are suffering and dying from starvation, or what the “experts” … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Ethiopia’s Opposition at the Dawn of Democracy?

Respeaking Truth to the Powerless For several years now, I have been “speaking truth to power”. In fact, the tag line for my blog page is “Defend Human Rights. Speak Truth to Power.” It is a special phrase which asserts … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Ethiopia Finally Has a New Prime Minister?

by Alemayehu G. Mariam Hailemariam Desalegn It seems Ethiopia finally has a new prime minister. Two days ago, the leaders of the ruling EPDRF party approved Hailemariam Desalegn, the current deputy prime minister [DPM], to replace the late Meles Zenawi … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Ethiopia | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: Time for Radical Improvements

By Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam It 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 … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Ethiopia, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: A Farewell to Meles Zenawi

For over two hundred seventy five weeks, without missing a single week, I have written long expository commentaries on the deeds and misdeeds of the man who has been at the helm of power in Ethiopia for over two decades. … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Ethiopia, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ethiopia: Has Meles Zenawi Gone AWOL?

Alemayehu G. Mariam What happens when a “prime minister” goes AWOL? That is, absent without constitutional leave of absence.  Ethiopian Dictator Meles Zenawi has disappeared from public view for several weeks now. He was last seen in public on June … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Ethiopia, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Ethiopia in Constitutional Crisis?

By Alemayehu G. Mariam In an interview I gave to the Voice of America Amharic program last week, I was asked to comment on the nature of constitutional succession in the event of death, disability, resignation, illness, incapacity or removal … read more »

Posted in Alemayehu G. Mariam, Article, Columnist, East Africa, Ethiopia, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment