By Prof. Al Mariam

“We only have one Ethiopia …

The issue of land in Ethiopia is very serious. Very serious. The source of wealth in this country is land. The source of wealth in this country is land. (Repeats.) It is land. (Land is the foundation) of Ethiopia, from the beginning (of time), since she was established. If we look at the revolutions of the past, the beginning and end of all things in Ethiopia is land. Everything else is secondary. The issue of land is not something to be taken lightly. It is an issue of identity. Land is the foundation of the economy. We all know how each individual Ethiopian is tied to the land. If we don’t deliberate the issue of land properly, if this country does not help us according to our abilities, if we don’t start doing the right thing now [with land], we could do whatever we want, but in the end [we’ll fail]…

Obbo Lemma Megerssa, Oromiya President, April 2017, addressing among other things, T-TPLF crony capitalism, corruption and abuse of power in Oromiya.

Author’s Note: This is a two-part commentary intended to elaborate and propose fresh ideas to advance the current peaceful democratic struggle in Ethiopia. In Part I here, I examine the political situation in Ethiopia as a problem of internal colonialism driven by the voracious and insatiable appetite of Thugtatorship of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (T-TPLF) for land– urban land, rural land, any kind of land. I examine the T-TPLF’s system of internal colonialism and its outcome of ethnic oppression, subordination and exploitation of majority groups in a comparative perspective with South Africa.

By Prof. Al Mariam

On October 18, 2017, the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia issued the following statement:

United States sees peaceful demonstrations as a legitimate means of expression and political participation. We note with appreciation a number of recent events during which demonstrators expressed themselves peacefully, and during which security forces exercised restraint in allowing them to do so.

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By Prof. Al Mariam

Author’s Note: The irony of ironies is that Barack Obama and I now share one thing in common. The hate-mongering birthers in America sought to cast doubt on Obama’s identity and birthplace to delegitimize his presidency by spinning a conspiracy theory that he was born in Kenya. The T-TPLF hate-mongers are now spinning a birther conspiracy theory to de-Ethiopianize me and delegitimize my unrelenting human rights advocacy in Ethiopia by claiming they have “doubts” about my Ethiopiawinet (Ethiopian-ness). The T-TPLF birthers say “some of my writings over the past several years raise doubt” as to whether I am a “real” Ethiopian.

By Prof. Al Mariam

Author’s Note: The handwriting is on the wall. It is the same message the courageous young people chanted at the 2016 Irreecha festival before they were cut down by T-TPLF machine guns, “Down, down, woyane!”

By Prof. Al Mariam

In the early parts of the 21^st century, China became an important source of finance for African development. The continent’s infrastructure was in disrepair; it had crumpled after decades of abject neglect and destruction from senseless civil wars. A substantial investment was – and still – needed to rebuild this infrastructure. According to a World Bank Report (2009), “the poor state of infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa—its electricity, water, roads and information and communications technology (ICT)—cuts national economic growth by two percentage points every year and reduces productivity by as much as 40 percent.” To close the infrastructure gap, an annual spending of $93 billion would be required. Africa has to spend US$360 billion on infrastructure by 2040, according to the African Development Bank (AfDB).Chopsticks Mercantilism, China in Africa, China in Ethiopia,

By Prof. Al Mariam

Author’s Note: Last week, the infamous landgrabber in Ethiopia, Sai Karuturi, wrote a letter informing the black apartheid T-TPLF (Thugtatorship of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front) prime minister that he has had enough and wants out. Karuturi “accused the (T-TPLF) state of nationalizing its farming investments” and demanded “adequate and appropriate redress.” Karuturi also condemned the T-TPLF regime for its decision to “unilaterally and illegally cancel our investment and trade license”. Karuturi threw in the towel and declared, “We stand tired and defeated and wish to exit Ethiopia.”

By David Steinman

The challenge of changing official Western policy toward the ruling regime in Ethiopia has frustrated Ethiopia’s opposition for more than a quarter century.

The West has never taken meaningful steps to stop the crimes committed by Ethiopia’s brutal dictatorship against the Ethiopian people. Given the level of collusion demonstrated for decades, it is not hard to understand why Western donor nations only pay lip service to Ethiopian human rights and democracy while, behind the scenes, trying to avoid doing what’s necessary to solve the problem.

By Prof. Al Mariam

The ten days of T-TPLF kumbaya propaganda charm offensive in Ethiopia

I have heard of the “12 Days of Christmas”. Even sang it. “On the first day of Christmas/ my true love sent to me:/ A Partridge in a Pear Tree/…/”

Who has ever heard of the T-TPLF’s ten days of the Ethiopian New Year (celebrated on September 11, 2017 [Meskerm 1, 2010 Ethiopian calendar]).

Well! The Thugtatorship of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (T-TPLF) last week launched a new and ridiculous ten-day propaganda charm offensive to endear itself to the Ethiopian people after 26 years of ironhanded tyrannical rule.