The Challenges and Prospects of Peace in the Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is at crucial crossroads between domestic governance failures and localization of the “global war on terror.” But the opportunities to cultivate a common understanding and inform the pursuit of regional peace are greater than the challenges. We hereby invite you to a grassroots, people-to-people panel discussion with scholars and activists from the Horn of Africa in order to increase awareness of what is unfolding within and among the countries of our region and what we, as responsible citizens, can do to alleviate the suffering of our peoples.
The Eritrean Festival Western USA – 2009
August 15, 2009 at 1:00PM
Oakland Tech High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611
Dr. Ahmed I. Samatar (Macalester College) earned BA degree from University of Wisconsin la Crosse, and MA and PhD from Denver University.
Professor Samatar teaches International Studies and he is Dean of the Institute for Global Citizenship. He is expert of global political economy, political and social theory, and African development. He has taught in many reputable universities around the world.
Dr. Lako Tongun (Pitzer Collge) studied at St. Mary’s College, and earned MA and PhD from UC Davis.
At the Department of Political Science, Professor Tongun teaches International and Intercultural Studies, including past and current conflicts in the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. He is expert of African and Third-World politics, political economy and development economics.
Mr. Elias Kifle (Editor-in-Chief, Ethiopian Review) studied Political Science and Management at California State University. Elias is an Addis Ababa born political activist and journalist. He works – since the early 1990s – as editor-in-chief of the most-visited Ethiopian news and analysis on-line journal. Ethiopian Review recently launched his lengthy interview with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and can be access on the web.
Dr. Awet T. Weldemichael (Researcher) attended Addis Ababa University and University of Asmara, and earned MA and PhD from UCLA. He currently researches Northeast African political and security issues. He has taught history at the University of Asmara and UCLA, and international studies at Trinity College. He has also worked as a political affairs officer for the UN peacekeeping mission in East Timor.
Every one is invited.
21 thoughts on “Eritrean Community hosts panel discussion on Horn of Africa”
Keep on working on peace and integrity of the nations of the Horn. After all it is peace we all need and is the best alternative for all of us.
we are eager to listen the same result like the meeting of the San hose discussion.
Elias Berta.
Mr. Elias Kifle just to let you now that your doing an excellent job.
i cant wait for the panel discussion i will be there.
thank you.
Asmara
Richmond, CA
Dear moderator;
It seems like “Yafiz yadengizu” is clearing up for politicians in the horn of Africa finally. After playing a leading role but short sighted, self centered, politically narrow, and visionless movement for decades, I believe it is for the good of all of us particularly the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea to finally stand up for democracy and human rights. It is the politicians’ responsibility to confront the realities on the ground not what the west is telling. We need to reject the evil and wicked Western sabotage from dividing us and making us our own enemies and destroy our own existence. As people of the horn, we need to say enough is enough to the dictators of Ethiopia and Eritrea. We should not and deserve not this suffering, instability, war, and economic crisis for years. Our current leaders made us doubt each other as people. But, we need to start speaking up and standing up for what is right and our commonality not the differences which caused us destruction and hatred but nothing else. Isayas is trying to get rid of Ethiopian’s Melese and Melese is trying to get rid of Isayas too. However, is it a strategic calculation to their survival or the honey moon is over? I strongly believe it is a strategy especially will have a devastating effect on Ethiopia which might spill over to the horn of Africa. Moreover, it is a known fact that both are dictators and cancers to their own people and to the stability of the Horn. They both are fooling us to stay in power for as long as their natural existence. We should not allow them to make our life as miserable as it is already. It is the politicians’ responsibility to head start a grass-root movement that will take away their oxygen tank. Let us not waste our time by falling into their traps especially the people of Eritrea. Our differences are much simpler than what the West and our leaders are telling us. We need to stop and think when Europe is integrating why are we encouraged to do the opposite? Again it is our intellectuals and politicians’ responsibility to teach and speak up for the truth.
Even though, i am a dedicated christian and Arab heater because of their historical undying enemyty towards our country. I totaly disagree with Assta in fact i regard Islam as a great religon and i do respect and love all Ethiopian moderate and rational Islam religon followers. Assta what is wrong with you ? What u wrote is devicive and insulting to fellow Ethiopian moslims. And if u are a real Ethiopian i would like to remind you Ethiopian Moslims sacrificed their life along with their christian brothers in defence of our mother land Ethiopia. If u are not enemy agent or narrow minded indivual you have to apologise to fellow Ethiopian Moslims, for your far flung comment.
This is a good beginning. However, Ethiopia and Eritrea are not the only countries in the Horn of Africa region. I think you should invite community, opinion and political leaders from other countries such as Kenya, Sudan, Djibouti, Uganda and Somalia. This being in the interest of peace and stabilility in the region, contributors should be invited from diverse walks of life. Keep up the good work!
I am really shocked and disturbed to read a comment by Assta B Getu regarding the religion of Islam. I am a Christian lived in a Muslim country for over a decade and offended by his immature and ill versed remark. Assta B Getu must be a sick person, who is throwing his vile hate on a paper. He is mentally incompetent and the worst hate monger who is lacking the ability to understand his environment. He lacks the basic rule of civility, and his ignorance about the principles of universal declaration of human rights and his deep rooted hatred to fellow human beings with a different religion blinds his poor judgment. To Assta B Getu’s dismay, his evil revulsion to the followers of Islam religion will not dissipate them on to thin air.
He has to learn to live with every human being regardless of their belief, race, color, and ethnicity with respect and dignity to one another. If he is Ethiopian, which I am in doubt, Assta would have learnt from the Ethiopian people, Christian and Muslims living in harmony side by side with respect and love to one another for many years. If Assta needs to lead a peaceful and respectful life he needs to learn how to respect others. This is the basic to all civil society which is governed by universal declaration of human rights doctrine. However, if Assta understands this and bent to incite hatred and instigate revulsion to a certain group of a society just because they believed in a certain religion, then Assta and his likes will be treated as a cancer that needs to be get rid of before it spread its venom to the Ethiopian homogeneous community.
OK Yohannes Ejigu,
Tell me then why most of the terrorists are followers of Islam. More starngely, how come one does not hear many moslems CONDEMNING all the terrorist activities that is normally committed against non Moslems all in the name of Islam? I think before you critisized Assta B. Gettu, you need to convince yourself that there is indeed something strange about a religion that preaching the killing and maimimg of fellow human beings!
Asta, you are in a different planet.
The people in the Horn are in search
of peace and harmony not digging in
search of conflict.
Moslems and Christians had lived
in peaceful coexistence for centuries.
They can give lesson about that.
Mamo
The goal is to bring peace and to see relationship that is based on mutual relations. However people who benefit from this region conflict will never rest, they will try exploiting the differences between the people.The panel discussion is to increase awarenes so we don’t get trap in the #4 kind of situation. I don’t think he is narrow minded, to me this kind of argumentis just to make people think negative, divert the issue or agent for this kind of goals. #4 did you say extremist Muslim what about extremist Christian? Your deep rooted hatred shows what kind of person you are.By the way, if you know Bible or Quran you wouldn’t have come to this conclusion.
Elias, keep on building that bridge between Ethiopia and Eritrea. This year you have opened my own eyes wide.
It is high time Eritreans and Ethiopians open up to each other. It is a win/win situation. The only group that would lose out is the TPLF regime and its supporters.
To AddisHiwet (#3)
Just to remind you that the malignant cancer is on the Ethiopian side. Thanks for telling us that your leaders are fooling you, but as far as we Eritreans are concerned we work hand in hand with our leaders.
Ethiopian kids..infact you have to remember that we have to deal with TPLF also with peacefull way, and what ever we disregard them by any means…they are the centeral players in Ethiopia. I appreciate Elias Kifle’s effor to bringing the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea into discussion and unity, i doubt how succefull it will be though. However, the same thing should be extended to the TPLF group and supporters as well. I believe there is no limit for peacefull dialongue, and it is ultimately beneficial for all people of Ethiopia and others. If we realy believe in long lasting peace of that region….all actors, the TPLF, its opposition groups, EPLF and its opposition groups, the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea as well as all Somalian parties and the people of Somalia should come closer for discussion and reach general consences of lasting peace and co-operation, which benefit the underprevilaged poor of our society. But this is simply a fantazy as I feel how selfish and narrow minded are we the horn people. God Bless our people!
Dear Elias Kifle, Editor,
You took down my comments against the false religion, Islam, and the false Prophet, Muhammad, but you left the Islamists’ unsubstantiated comments. Is it because one of your panelists happened to be a Muslim?
Elias Kifle replies:
August 17th, 2009 at 2:07 PM
Dear Assta, the reason I took down your comment is that we must respect each others religion. As the great Menelik II said, “Haimanot Yegil, Hager Yegara.”
It is long over due. Glad we are talking peace and reconciliation. The panel needs women and other minorities, it can be intimidating to have a collection of PhDs, and then speak of grassroot development. You need diversity in your panel from every walk of life. Peace is a langugae of the heart not the head.
It is a good thing that scholars are focusing on the Horn of Africa. If that area gets its act together, it will be one of the most dynamic region in Africa. Keep talking!
P.S: There is also another Horn of Africa Conference scheduled to take place On Saturday, October 17 at Springfield College. If any person interested can contact the organizer, Dr. Mulugeta Agonafer @ 413-748-3779 or email to him at .
We the people horn of Africa, our communities of Muslims & Christians should come in to a dialogue , exchanging and co operation guaranteeing peace, stability and prosperity requires a strengthening of understand between our communities, respect human rights and abolishing to colonize each other. otherwise our region( the horn) will face endless problems and this will benefit to our enemy the colonizers ( divide & rule). The ogaden case should be the first to solve in order to proceed to the unity of horn of Africa
Ethiopia has many problems to keep it busy looking for appropriate solutions for many years to come. Religious wars, as civil wars, are costly and vicious that any country can not afford to go through it and Ethiopia being a multi-faith (Islam & Christianity) country, religious war is the last thing it needs.
It is the responsibilty of both the editor of the site and participants of the forum to rebuke hateful and racist comments like that of Assta B. Gettu.
It is to be commended that Elias Kifle, the editor, took down his earlier comment (eventhough there is still another equally nasty one # 13) and that many discussants rebutted accordingly.
Gettu’s comment is particularly out of step of the article under discussion which, I hope, is about bringing the people of the Horn (whose faith is Islam & Christianity)together and closer.
Gabose,
You wrote: “Ethiopia has many problems to keep it busy….”
I will tell you in your face that one of the problems Ethiopia has been facing since the death of that great Emperor, Haile Selassie I, is Islam.
Ethiopia does not need another Gragn Muhammad that destroyed its magnificent Churches and its holiest documents.
We Ethiopian Christians believe only in one faith, and I urge you to take out your “multi-faith” doctrine that has polarized my Christian country, and it is on the verge of declaring war against your multi-faith doctrine. It is this doctrine that brought Islam to be the majority on the Ethiopian Christian parliament, and it is this Muslim-dominated parliament that consented the cell out of some fertile lands of Gondar to the Islamic state, Sudan. Why don’t you try to teach your multi-faith doctrine in Saudi Arabia, and let us see how many converts you can get there? You have found Ethiopia as a soft country to deceive its people by propagating your misguided multi-faith doctrine and at the same time you suck its resource. You cannot fool us anymore!
What is wrong with you Elias? Why in the first place you posted Assta B. Gettu’s comment and remove later?
Assta B. Gettu’s view, if he is Ethiopian, must be treated as such as the view of his and cos. You should not try to hash his view as if it is not existing.
Assta B. Gettu’s diatribe & incompetence to distinguish between citizenship and faith must be challenged head-on for peaceful co-existence anywhere in the earth. It is better to re-post it for healthy discussion to take place.
Gragn Muhammad is one of the unifier of the horn region, later on this topic, and the citizen of the horn whether one likes it or not.
Peace
abc-hahu,
What a remarkable name, abc-hahu! You are absolutely right to be named after these letters as St. Paul teaches the Hebrews by saying: “You need someone to teach you the ABC of God’s oracles over again….” (The NEB 5:12)
I am confident I will teach you the ABC of Christianity first and then its arch enemy Islam as we progress in our brutal discussion – brutal because our discussion is going to involve the deception and the shenanigan Islam has been playing all over the world.
I assure you I am one of the indigenous Ethiopian Christians very concerned about the intrusions of Arab-Muslims into Ethiopia, the land of Christianity, and I am capable of telling you, even though you are still at hahu level, the difference between citizenship and faith if you have both.
You have no right though to question the citizenship and faith of an indigenous Ethiopian Christian; however, you may have the right to put that question to the Ethiopian Arab-Muslims, refugees from Mecca and guests of this beautiful country, Ethiopia, the envy of the Arab-Muslim world.
It seems you have suggested: “Gragn Muhammad is one of the unifier [s] of the Horn region…” as our future topic. I disagree. The topic should be “Gragn Muhammad is one of the destroyers of the Ethiopian Christianity.”
Have a pleasant day!