EPRDF-Supporters Forum
Free Elections for Democracy or Creating Client Regimes?
by T. Habisso
The purpose of this brief paper is to expose the age-old sinister policy of the West bent on making or breaking Third World regimes and their economic policies by directly or indirectly interfering in the internal affairs of these countries, including periodic elections, and thus to recommend timely measures that would help to avert these destructive interferences of the West, if we genuinely seek to enjoy the fruits of democracy and development that the West has enjoyed for quite a long time. It is a well-established fact that US and European intelligence and state agencies penetrate civil...read more
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Comments, Articles & View Points
Inserting the Right of Secession in the FDRE Constitution as a Guarantee to Protect the Territorial Integrity of the Ethiopian State
Readmore
by Tesfaye Habisso
Democracy and Accountability in U.S. America: Theory versus Practice
by
Tesfaye Habisso
Politics as Religion
by
T. Habisso
Ethiopia: Can We Leave the Past Where It Belongs and Claim the 21st Century?
by
Tesfaye Habisso
Our prime enemies today are poverty and backwardness, no one and nothing else. Let us make an unflinching resolve to rally around this formidable challenge. Read More....
Guarding our Economy & Sovereignty from Untenable “Democratic Capitalism”
by
Adal Isaw
adalisaw@yahoo.com
Gilgel Gibe III:
No problem! We are now thinking of Gilegel Gebe IV&V
by
Ben D.
From the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU): But Whose Unity? Whose Union?
By Tesfaye Habisso
A Premature Debate on the Future Role of an Extraordinary Leader
by
Adal Isaw
Transition Prime Minister with Preconditions!
By
Mekonnen Kassa
Issues to Ponder for 2010 Ethiopian Parliamentary
Election
by
Adal Isaw
America’s Lukewarm Concern for Al-Shebaab
&
the Rogue State of Eritrea
by
Adal Isaw
Ethiopia's Judiciary on the Right Side of History
It is a momentous verdict that will pass the test of history in flying colours. And it is a ruling proving the Ethiopian judiciary is indeed on the right side of history; a sort
Read more
Readmore
by Tesfaye Habisso
Democracy and Accountability in U.S. America: Theory versus Practice
by
Tesfaye Habisso
Politics as Religion
by
T. Habisso
Ethiopia: Can We Leave the Past Where It Belongs and Claim the 21st Century?
by
Tesfaye Habisso
Our prime enemies today are poverty and backwardness, no one and nothing else. Let us make an unflinching resolve to rally around this formidable challenge. Read More....
Guarding our Economy & Sovereignty from Untenable “Democratic Capitalism”
by
Adal Isaw
adalisaw@yahoo.com
Gilgel Gibe III:
No problem! We are now thinking of Gilegel Gebe IV&V
by
Ben D.
From the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the African Union (AU): But Whose Unity? Whose Union?
By Tesfaye Habisso
A Premature Debate on the Future Role of an Extraordinary Leader
by
Adal Isaw
Transition Prime Minister with Preconditions!
By
Mekonnen Kassa
Issues to Ponder for 2010 Ethiopian Parliamentary
Election
by
Adal Isaw
America’s Lukewarm Concern for Al-Shebaab
&
the Rogue State of Eritrea
by
Adal Isaw
Ethiopia's Judiciary on the Right Side of History
It is a momentous verdict that will pass the test of history in flying colours. And it is a ruling proving the Ethiopian judiciary is indeed on the right side of history; a sort
Read more
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There is no Case for a Paradigm Shift: Ethiopia’s
Foreign Affairs & National Security Policy & Strategy is Pragmatic
Part I
'We say, why fix it. if it ain't broken"
These concepts are human perceptions to a degree of quantifiable or unquantifiable nature. They’re helpful tools, but yet, they remain as notions of understanding for which a physical science inquiry is absent—to value their importance—as significant as a leap in scientific discovery of the kind that knowledge unravels in genetics. Aphoristically put, these concepts are no more than the descriptions of human perception, brought by social interaction in a given setting that are not the subject of inquiry to a protocol in physical science. Read more..
Revisiting ICG, Issueless Ethiopian Political Parties & Protracted Democratic Term
The ICG report is the perfect example for not hiding its discontent about EPRDF and also for courting the “it’s now my turn” crowd in the open in the name of “genuine multi-party system.” Read more..
”Ethiopia - 5th Fastest Growing Economy in the World in 2010 – The..Economist”
How can any Ethiopian with a common sense reject such good news from a renowned source. These groups would like to hear negative news about Ethiopia; they always think each and every negative development in Ethiopia is weakening the EPRDF. These groups have failed to understand one basic thing. Ethiopia’s development is not for the benefit of the EPRDF and its supporters alone, it’s for all Ethiopians irrespective of our political, ethnic or religious background. Read More..
Enough is enough; there is ample time for politics
Today, our responsibility to our people who are suffering from lack of food can only be expressed by the instantaneous act of giving. Our giving may not have great bearing to what we think the future should hold for our people, but nevertheless, Read More.......
When the “whole” orders, the “part” must obey – so they say!
BY
Desalegn Lidetu
Most importantly, it’s consistent with the very ideology EPRDF pursues that when the “whole” orders, the “part” must obey. A seasoned statesman of international stature as he is, even our prime minister Meles Zenawi had to obey when ordered by his front. Read More
The Ethiopian Student Movement and the Struggle Against Feudal Monarchy and Imperialism, 1960-1974
This is a document that is written with a lot of love, care and it is based on references and facts. I suggest everyone to read it and remember how Ethiopia is freed from a feudal monarchy and imperialism. Read More and Pass it over to friends.
A Challenge to Election Observers
by
Adal Isaw
Irregularity is not the patented shortcoming of the so called “under developed” countries for example Ethiopia. It can surely affect “developed” countries such as the US as it did in 2000 and 2004 and “developing” countries such as Mexico. Nonetheless, unwarranted emphasis on only one aspect of a democratic election process is very misguided and it is usually unfair to countries without fair democratic tradition Read More
Reading from President Obama’s Blueprint
By
Zena Mewael
(zenamewael@yahoo.com)
They mistook Obama’s famous campaign slogan, “Change We Can Believe in” for “Change We Can Belie in.” He is not listening to the vocal Diaspora’s plea to intervene in the internal affairs of a sovereign country. Clearly, he is able to discern between genuine yearning for democracy and a phony movement led by power hungry individuals
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Democracy and the Destructive Political Culture of the
Western World
by
Adal Isaw
In a world where international racism is part of international relations and fascism is purely the progeny of Western culture, revisiting history to unmask the destructive political culture of the Western world is more than tempting. The West still thinks beauty is best defined by the same measurements that Nazi Germany had— blond, blue-eyed, tall, athletic, disciplined, loyal, intelligent, and creative. Read More
The Rise of Incivility in Our Public Debates
By
Tesafy Habisso
There are others who believe that technological advances have provided new ways to be rude and intrusive. Through the electronic media we can say rude and disrespectful things that we would be less likely to express over the phone or in face-to-face interaction. There seems to be a general agreement among social scientists studying incivility on Internet chat room that besides anonymity, technology contributes to the de-individuation of its users just as drivers confined to their small environs are prone to aggressiveness and irritations. Read More
Ethiopia: Forging Ahead On the Road Toward Meaningful Democracy and Development
By T Habisso
I want to raise one disturbing outcome of the Yared Tibebu vs Shashu Habtu VOA debate: Shashu who was patriotically defending her country and its spectacular achievements in a very short period of just 18 years under the incumbent regime, as mentioned here above, was ridiculously labelled a “BANDA” (a traitor) by some website managers in the USA, Ethiopians of course, while those real BANDAs and traitors serving the agenda of foreign powers (this after all is the true meaning of the derogatory word or concept known as BANDA in Amharic) bent on destabilizing their own homeland are treated as patriots and heroes. Read More
Human Rights Watch and Its Nazi Memorabilia Collector
By
Ben D.
About a week or so, I read an article on one of the internet media about a letter that was written and sent to the British Foreign Secretary Miliband on Diplomatic Assurances. The letter was in protest of the agreement between UK government and Ethiopian Government. Who wrote the letter? HRW watch London Director Tom Porteous and African Division Director Georgette Gagnon. Contrary to their allegation, what we know about Ethiopia and HRW…..Read more
No Coups, No “Terrorist Plots’: Peaceful Struggle is the Only way
We have witnessed how leaders of the OLF, EPRP, TPDM, AESM (MEISON), MEDHIN, ONLF, ENPF, ARDUF and manyother armed resistance movements have tried to reproduce the EPLF's and the TPLF's successful political experiments. The copy-cats have failed so miserably that they cannot even live in their own country of birth
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by Tesfaye Habisso
WHAT THE MEDIA SHOULD DO IN THE UP-COMING ETHIOPIAN ELECTIONS
By
Harego Bensa (haregobensa@yahoo.com)
The role of media particularly during elections is immense. It should provide voters with unbiased information regarding political parties and their candidates so that the society would empower politicians out of informed choices. Read more..
Setting Off False Alarm ICG’s (International Crisis Group’s)
Political Pandering
Part II
Kilil is the Solution
Adal Isaw
It’s therefore up to us Ethiopians to enlighten this supposedly Think Tank group, with an introductory lesson about state, nation and nation-state, so that ICG realizes that its primary assumption about the state of Ethiopia is utterly faulty. And by definition, a state consists of an area of territory which is under the single rule of a government, and nation is a hard to define sociological, political and philosophical concept often loosely and incorrectly used to mean ‘state.’ Read More....
TO BELITTLE AND DEFAME ETHIOPIA IS HATE OR IGNORANCE-DRIVEN SHOULD THE BAD CARPENTER BLAME HIMSELF OR HIS TOOLS? Democracy has, of course, its own rules. It can survive and flourish in our country only when all of us commit ourselves to play by the rules of the game: contestation and participation. It so happens that those who play by the rules of the game are those who not only understand its true meaning and substance but are also confident of themselves and their political objectives, Read More...
An Introductory Lesson in Politics For
“Professor” Al (Alemayehu) Mariam
by
Adal Isaw
To frequently fail such an academic obligation may beget a student a failing grade while it puts a professor of politics, for example Al Mariam, in future unemployment line in Los Angeles, California. Read More
Setting Off A False Alarm
ICG’s (International Crisis Group’s)
Political Pandering
Part I
Adal Isaw
To set a false alarm in the name of preventing a deadly conflict based on a political opposition rather than a rigorous scientific case-study is a political pandering---done on behalf of “very important” clients for political and economic benefit. Read more..
FREEDOM IS MORE THAN A WORD
by T Habisso
The Battle of Adowa cost the lives of 289 Italian officers, 2918 European soldiers and about 2,000 ‘askari’. A further 954 European troops were missing, while 470 Italians and 958 ‘askari’ were wounded. Some 700 Italians and 1,800 ‘askari’ fell into the hands of the Ethiopian troops. About 70 Italians and 230 ‘askari’ were tortured to death before Emperor Menelik discovered it and put a stop to it. Read More...
By
Harego Bensa
(haregobensa@yahoo.com)
I personally believe that there will come a time when we reach on a similar stage of democratic countries in a lesser time than it took them. But, such ambition can be realized only when every one of us and above all every political party operating Read more
Should We Allow Hate Politics and Political Extremism to Undermine Our Intellectual, Associational and Spiritual Life, Too? Where Are We Heading, Anyway?
By Tesfaye Habisso
The question that one may pose to our Ethiopian scholars at home and in the Diaspora is this: Why take sides and get embroiled in partisan politics when, in fact, most of them do not belong to any political party/parties as full-fledged members? Why don't they rebuke, admonish, and even encourage and support both the ruling party and the opposition parties when that is what they think is appropriate, Read More...
Africa and the Failure of Development Aid:Time for Designing an Exit Strategy
By Tesfaye Habisso
As the recent Ethiopian Economics Association report succinctly put, “…If by aid we mean making a difference in the lives of people over the long term, helping people to live in a situation whereby they do not have to face those kinds of emergencies, then obviously aid has failed, because the number of people affected by emergencies has significantly increased over the years…Aid in the short term might have saved lives, but in the long run it seems things are getting worse…” [Ethiopian Economics Association, 2004].
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On the Upcoming National Elections [2010] and Beyond: Challenges and Opportunities for Building Democracy and Good Governance in Ethiopia.
By Tesfaye Habisso
The Process, Prospects and Constraints of Democratization, Democratic Transition and Consolidation in Poor Multiethnic Societies: A Point of View
By
Tesfaye Habisso
The road to democratic transition and consolidation has always been tortuous and windy. Developing appropriate institutions, techniques and mechanisms to manage these problems is among the most important challenges facing policymakers in particular and the political society in general in emerging democracies today. Read More
What Ethiopia endured for two decades
can now teach America in days for the better
by
Adal Isaw
America would have learned from the Ethiopian experience that all that have been said about Obama has been said verbatim about our enduring Premier Meles Zenawi for almost two decades. Much like the racist elements of America, the lunatic and violent prone Ethiopian Diaspora calls Ethiopia’s own brilliant son, un-Ethiopian, racist, Nazi, Hitler, Killer, and a communist while shouting, crying, and intimidating anything other than their views, merely because, he is the leader of a major fundamental change that shifted the political ground of Ethiopia a plenty Read More...
Opposition Politics and the Issue of Political Space in Ethiopia Today: Issues and Challenges
By
Tesfaye Habisso
Ethiopia at present has about 90 registered political parties among which 10 or more are national parties (some of them claiming multi-ethnic base) and the rest regional as well as ethnic-based local parties, as the National Electoral Board has recently announced to the general public.What we need to see now is parties recognizing the obvious; that they are too small and too weak to stand alone and the best way forward for them would be mergers, alliances, cooperation and coalition. If they want to achieve better and more results and sooner, opposition parties should pursue this path and the path of responsible and constructive opposition politics, that is, to play the role of the ‘loyal’ or legal opposition and to abide by the rules of the game. All other options are destined to fail.
On its part, the ruling party has to show great tolerance and magnanimity towards opposition parties; remove all limitations on opposition parties that circumscribe their activities especially lack of sufficient freedom to operate at the grassroots level, campaigning, holding political rallies and meetings, etc.; accelerate democratic reforms and strengthen democratic institutions as well as conflict resolution mechanisms and also create a conducive environment that does include and not exclude all opposition parties to participate in the political process; allow them to operate peacefully and smoothly throughout the country and to participate in the periodic national elections with utmost freedom and fairness, as required by any genuine democratic election and political system.
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