Blog Archives

Birtukan’s release in perspective

By Yilma Bekele

Opposition leader Bertukan Mideksa has been released from Kaliti jail after spending six hundred forty four days, one hundred forty of it in solitary confinement. We are happy she is reunited with her family and loved ones.…

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Posted in Ethiopia News

ET-409 and the surplus Ethiopians

By Yilma Bekele

It took an article on LA Times to help me gather my thoughts together. I knew there was some thing missing in the story unfolding in front of me. The article by Alexandra Sandels and Borzou Daragahi …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Melkam Gena Weizero Birtukan

By Yilma Bekele

I grew up during the reign of the Emperor. Everybody was afraid of HIM. Then came the Colonel and we had nothing but contempt for him. He was an impostor of no consequence. A rude chapter in …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ethiopia under siege

By Yilma Bekele

Siege is a strong term. It is normally used to describe a war situation. The invading army resorts to siege when it encounters a fortress or robust defense it cannot overcome easily. When a siege occurs the …

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Ato Meles and his interviews – reading between the lines

By Yilma Bekele

Dear Ato Meles, I have been following your interviews with the foreign media the last few months. I have no idea why you prefer to discuss matters regarding our country with the foreign press. One would think …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Ghana fixation

By Yilma Bekele

I was listening to National Public Radio and they were reporting about President Obama’s coming visit to Ghana. Of course I turned the volume up. I did not want to miss anything. My Ghanaian cousins were delirious. …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

My brave sister Serkalem Fasil

By Yilma Bekele

So the saying used to go ‘the sun never sets on the British empire’ that was yesterday. It should be replaced by ‘the sun always shines on Serkalem.’ The Global Forum of Freedom of Expression has honored …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Today’s problem yesterday’s solution

By Yilma Bekele

Barack Obama told the American people that you couldn’t solve a 21st. century problem using a 19th. Century mind set. The old prescription by Bush and company weren’t working. He promised that he would look at the …

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Posted in Ethiopia News

Zimbabwe’s $28 quadrillion is worth U.S. $1

Zimbabwe’s economy has all but collapsed, leaving it’s currency worth far less than the paper it’s printed on. The hyperinflation is now estimated at over a quintillion percent, although no one really knows.

Most Zimbabweans are switching to barter and …

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Posted in Ethiopia News