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FP on Tragic & Volatile Nature of Ethnic Politics in Ethiopia

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2019 in Podcast. Closed

In the following article published Friday by Foreign Policy magazine Addisu Lashitew, a research fellow at the Brookings Institution, argues that Ethiopia "must find a way to avoid repeating the perilous history of previous experiments in ethnic federalism in countries such as Yugoslavia... The root causes of the current political crisis come from a system that awkwardly weds ethnicity to electoral politics." (GETTY IMAGES)

Foreign Policy

BY ADDISU LASHITEW | NOVEMBER 8, 2019

Ethiopia Will Explode if It Doesn’t Move Beyond Ethnic-Based Politics

In Oct. 11, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed received the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the long stalemate with neighboring Eritrea. Paradoxically, Abiy enjoys only fragmented and diminishing popular support in his own country. Even in his home region of Oromia, his leadership is seriously contested by the ethnonationalist forces represented by the social media activist Jawar Mohammed.

This became painfully evident on Oct. 23, when the Oromia region was shaken by a deadly wave of violence following a series of Facebook posts from Jawar. The activist, who also heads a TV channel called Oromia Media Network, announced that the police were about to detain him, an allegation that was later denied by the government. Around 70 civilians were killed when his angry supporters took to the streets, setting off an intercommunal conflict that took on an ethnic and religious dimension.

This tragic incident is emblematic of the volatile nature of ethnic politics in Ethiopia, which has started to crack the foundations of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition. The EPRDF, which has ruled the country since 1991, is a coalition of four parties that represented the country’s major ethnic groups (Amhara, Oromo, Tigrayan, and southern groups) of which the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front was the most dominant party until recently.

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Alex Assefa, Joe Neguse & lhan Omar: Ethiopian, Eritrean & Somali Make History

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2018 in Featured. Closed

Ethiopian American Alex Assefa (left) was elected as a state legislator in the Nevada State Assembly, Eritrean-American Joe Neguse (Center) was elected to U.S. Congress from Colorado, and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota became the first Somali-American to be elected to the U.S. Congress. (Photos: Getty Images and AP)

Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff

Updated: November 8th, 2018

New York (TADIAS) — Most people remember where they were ten years ago this November when they learned of the election of America’s first Black president, Barack Obama, blazing a trail for a future generation of leaders.

This week also saw another historic election season in the United States with the ascension of a record number of women to Congress, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York City, who at 29-years-old became the youngest woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

In addition, the 2018 Midterm U.S. election held on Tuesday, November 6th resulted in many new civic leaders from diverse immigrant communities across America including the first elected Ethiopian, Eritrean and Somali-American representatives.

Ethiopian American entrepreneur Alex Assefa was elected as a state legislator in the Nevada State Assembly representing the state’s 42nd assembly district. Alex who was born and raised in Ethiopia came to the U.S. in 2000 as a refugee. He replaces Democratic Representative Irene Bustamante Adams and will serve in the Nevada State Assembly on a two-year term.

In Colorado Joe Neguse, the son of immigrants from Eritrea, made U.S. history by becoming the state’s first African-American member of Congress. According to 4CBS Denver, Neguse, who is an attorney and co-founder of a voter registration group, “defeated Republican Peter Yu in the 2nd Congressional District that includes Boulder, Fort Collins and parts of north-central Colorado.”

And in Minnesota Ilhan Omar became the first Somali-American and one of the first two muslim woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress. Ilhan came to the United States as a teenager more than 20 years ago, and according to CNBC “In 2016, she became the first Somali-American, Muslim legislator in the U.S. She was elected to serve in Minnesota’s House of Representatives in District 60B, according to her campaign website. In 2019, Omar will replace Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, who was the first Muslim elected to Congress.”

Watch: Historic Record number of women heading to U.S. Congress

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US Election: Liberian-American Becomes First Black Mayor in Montana History

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2017 in Podcast. Closed

Liberian-American Wilmot Collins becomes first black mayor in Montana history. (NY Daily News)

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

A former refugee who came to Montana more than 20 years ago was elected to lead its capital city, Helena, becoming the first black person to become mayor in the state’s history.

Wilmot Collins ousted four-term Jim Smith in Tuesday night’s mayoral race, capping off a night of historic firsts throughout the country.

“After last night’s historic firsts for many leaders across the country, Wilmot is confident that the future of this country favors a union of people from all different walks of life,” a campaign spokesperson told the Daily News in a statement.

“Most importantly, Wilmot is honored to be granted the opportunity to go to work for the hardworking and inspiring citizens of Helena!”

The spokesperson confirmed he’ll be the first black candidate in Montana’s history to win a mayoral election.

Collins came to the U.S. 23 years ago, fleeing civil war in his native Liberia. He went on to become an American citizen and worked in the state’s Department of Health and Human Services, specializing in child protection.

But he wasn’t the lone newly elected official to make history Tuesday night.

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US Election: Trumpism Suffers Blow in VA

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2017 in Podcast. Closed

Newly elected Virginia Lieutenant Governor, Justin Fairfax, greets the audience at his victory rally at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. (Photo: Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post)

The Washington Post

Trump thumped in Virginia — bigly

One year after President Trump rode a campaign of white nationalism into the White House, the American people struck back. Decisive Democratic wins for governor in New Jersey and Virginia, not to mention the Democratic victories for lieutenant governor and attorney general, are a clear sign of the electorate’s disquiet with Trump’s low-road Twitter presidency.

But three other signs come to mind in the afterglow of Election Day 2017. Here are my quick thoughts.

Borrowing pages from Trump’s white-nationalist playbook will hurt you.

Nothing was more disturbing and degrading of the presidency than Trump’s both-sides nonsense in response to the ugly white supremacist rallies in Charlottesville, where Heather Heyer was allegedly killed by a racist who plowed his car into a crowd of counter-protesters. That Ed Gillespie adopted Trump’s rhetoric on monuments to Confederate generals and tried to scare voters with loose talk of Latino gangs clearly was a bridge too far the people of the commonwealth. What’s even more pathetic is that a man with a stellar reputation and good name such as Gillespie threw it in the gutter to try to win on the backs of white grievance.

No, Democrats don’t need to have a progressive, Bernie-anointed candidate to win.

Tom Perriello lost the primary to now-Governor-elect Ralph Northam, a centrist anchored in the establishment. Perriello was endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent who ran for president in the Democratic Party in 2016 but doesn’t see fit to join the party. But Perriello didn’t disappear. He worked hard on Northam’s behalf and not grudgingly. I couldn’t look at Twitter in the run-up to the election without seeing tweets from Perriello out on the campaign trail. Thus proving that a vanquished primary opponent who works hard to help his victor during the general election is essential.

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Zone 9 Case Sees 11th Court Delay

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2014 in Podcast. Closed

Journalists Tesfalem Weldyes, Asmamaw Haile Giorigis, Edom Kassaye, and bloggers Mahlet Fantahun, Abel Wabela, Befeqadu Hailu, Zelalem Kebret, Atenaf Berahene and Natnael Feleke have been jailed since April.

The International Press Institute

By: Siobhan Hagan, IPI Contributor

VIENNA – An Ethiopian court this week delayed proceedings for an 11th time against six bloggers and three independent journalists, who were arrested in April in connection with their activities as part of the Zone 9 collective.

The court at a hearing on Tuesday adjourned the case until Nov. 12, 2014. The nine defendants, who were arrested in Addis Ababa on April 25 and 26, have now been in pre-trial detention for over six months.

The bloggers and journalists are being held on charges of alleged terrorism and inciting violence as a result of their contact with foreign human rights organisations and opposition political parties. They are being prosecuted under Ethiopia’s controversial, 2009 anti-terrorism law.

After a joint mission to Ethiopia with the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) last year, IPI called on Ethiopian authorities to release all journalists convicted under the legislation and urged that the law be amended in a way that does not inhibit constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression rights.

IPI Senior Press Freedom Adviser Steven M. Ellis said: “The Zone 9 case not only illustrates the stifling press environment in Ethiopia, but the severely impeded judicial proceedings in this case also interfere with the defendants’ due process rights.”

The Zone 9 Trial Tracker blog calls the 11th delay a “record” in a case that has been stalled since the April arrests and marked by repeated delays.

The first delays were a result of police requests for more time to conduct investigations. The defendants were not formally charged until July 17, when they were brought to the Lideta High Court for a hearing without legal representation. When they refused to be tried without a lawyer, the case was adjourned until the next morning. At a July 18 hearing, the trial was adjourned until Aug. 4.

The Trial Tracker blog reported that at Tuesday’s hearing there was confusion regarding changes in the courtroom venue. The blog said that the hearing was pushed back as a result of two presiding judges in the case being replaced with new judges, who were unprepared to make a ruling.

Before last year’s joint IPI/WAN-IFRA mission, African Union Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information Pansy Tlakula told IPI: “[F]ollowing the 2005 general elections in Ethiopia, freedom of expression and media freedom [have] been continuously deteriorating.”

In a report released on Jan. 14 following the mission, IPI said that Ethiopia’s use of sweeping anti-terrorism law to imprison journalists and other legislative restrictions were hindering the development of free and independent media in the country.
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Photo credit: Jomanex Kasaye via IPI

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The International Credit Rating Agency Fitch Affirms Ethiopia at ‘B’, Outlook Stable

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2014 in Podcast. Closed

The international rating agency Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ethiopia's Long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'B' with stable outlook, the rating agency reported on Friday, November 7th, 2014.

Reuters

(The following statement was released by the rating agency)

PARIS/LONDON – Fitch Ratings has affirmed Ethiopia’s Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) at ‘B’. The Outlooks on the Long-term IDRs are Stable. The Country Ceiling and the Short-term foreign currency IDR are both affirmed at ‘B’. KEY RATING DRIVERS Ethiopia’s ‘B’ IDRs reflect the following key rating drivers:- -Ethiopia is vulnerable to shocks even compared with ‘B’ rated peers despite strong improvements in its World Bank governance indicators and development indicators over the past decade. This is balanced by strong economic performance and improved public and external debt ratios since debt relief under HIPC in 2005-2007. -Macroeconomic performance is broadly in line with rated peers. The public sector-led development strategy implemented over the past decade, focusing on heavy investments in infrastructure, has sustained strong real GDP growth, which reached an estimated 10.3% in the fiscal year to 7 July 2014 (FY14), above most regional peers, although it may be overestimated according to previous reports by the IMF. Inflation, which has historically been high and volatile, has slowed to single digits since October 2013, due to a combination of moderate international food prices and reduced central bank financing of the budget deficit. However, Fitch believes inflation remains vulnerable to food price variations. -Public finances compare favourably with ‘B’ rated peers, but are exposed to rising contingent liabilities.

Read the full press release at Reuters.com »

Video: Ethiopia Announces Plans to Issue EuroBond (CNBC Africa)

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At African Media Leaders Forum in Addis, Press Freedom Isn’t Top Concern

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2013 in Podcast. Closed

Eskinder Nega. (Photo: Pen International)

VOA News

By Marthe van der Wolf

ADDIS ABABA — African media leaders concluded a three-day conference in Ethiopia Friday, where press freedom was not on top of the conference agenda, even though many journalists on the continent face restrictions and repression.

Conference organizers said their core focus was on business development, technology innovation, and leadership and ethics. They believe discussions on the business side of media will automatically result in debates on press freedom.

Alison Bethel of the International Press Institute finds it worrisome that the African Media Leaders Forum did not prioritize the issue of press freedom.

“There needs to be more time dedicated to the issue,” she said, “because besides from business models and licensing and other things that are crucial to the media here, press freedom also is a very, very important part of doing business.”

There was a one-hour side event organized on the practices and challenges of press freedom in Africa. Journalists from different countries shared their experiences of being harassed, detained and threatened for trying to do their job.

The Committee to Protect Journalists urged the media leaders to address repression in Ethiopia, where the conference is being held. Last week, two Ethiopian journalists were detained for about six days without charges after reporting on local corruption.

More than 75 media publications have been closed in Ethiopia in the past 20 years and seven journalists are currently imprisoned on charges of terrorism.

Amare Aregwi, managing editor of Ethiopia’s largest English newspaper, The Reporter, says his media colleagues on the continent can also play a role in improving press freedom in Ethiopia:

“They can advise you, share their experiences and train you in such things,” Aregwi said. “Sometimes, you don’t find people or the government being ready to listen. On the other side also, some of the international media enjoy criticizing and ridiculing rather than helping.”

Twenty-eight journalists died on the African continent in 2012, with Somalia being the deadliest country. Twelve African countries have passed freedom of information bills, but they include countries such as Ethiopia and Uganda, which are regularly accused of cracking down on media practitioners.

The Doha Center for Media Freedom reported that more than 150 journalists from Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan and South Sudan have been forced into exile since 2008.
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Related:
Africans Tweet on Ethiopian Press Freedom at African Media Leaders Forum (Storify)
Addis Hosts African Media Leaders Forum (ERTA)
Africans Must Speak Up for Journalist Jailed in Ethiopia (The Guardian Africa Network)
2 Ethio-Mihdar journalists arrested for reporting on Corruption (CPJ)
Africa’s Journalists Honor Jailed Ethiopian Editor Woubshet Taye (CNN Photos)
The Challenges of Independent Media In Ethiopia: Tadias Interview With Ron Singer

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Photojournalist Gediyon Kifle Presents: ‘Making a Moment Decisive’

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2012 in Events and Featured. Closed

Gediyon Kifle (Photo by David Sharp)

Tadias Magazine
Events News

Updated: Friday, November 9, 2012

New York (TADIAS) – If you followed our election coverage this week, you may have noticed the name Gediyon Kifle under the photo credit section of some of the photographs. The photojournalist will appear as a guest speaker this weekend at a lecture series sponsored by Leica Camera in Washington, D.C.

Gediyon will present how he incorporates his inert decisiveness to capture compelling images in a talk entitled Making a Moment Decisive.

According to the event’s announcement: “Gediyon will be discussing both the images captured as well as the moments that got away, which continue to fuel his creative energy.”
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If You Go:
Gediyon Kifle: Making a Moment Decisive
Sunday November 11, 2012
First Lecture: 12pm – 2pm
Second Lecture: 3pm – 5pm
Limited to 40 participants for each time slot.
Please e-mail RSVP@leica-store-dc.com preferred time.
Leica Store Washington DC
977 F Street, NW
Washington, DC 20004 ,
Northwest
202-787-5900

Scientific American: Last 500 Ethiopian Wolves Endangered by Lack of Genetic Diversity

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2012 in Podcast. Closed

Photo: James Hopkirk via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

Scientific American

By John R. Platt

The last wolves in Africa face a difficult road if they are going to survive. Just 500 Ethiopian wolves (Canis simensis) remain in the mountains of the country for which they are named. The animals now live in six fragmented populations located hundreds of kilometers apart from one another; three of these populations have fewer than 25 wolves each. According to a study published last month in Animal Conservation, the Ethiopian wolf now suffers from low genetic diversity and a weak flow of genes between packs. As we have seen with other rare species such as Florida panthers, Tasmanian devils and great Indian bustards, low genetic diversity can result in inbreeding, impaired birth rates and the inability to adapt to diseases or other ecological threats. The danger for Ethiopian wolves is not theoretical—rabies outbreaks in 1991–92 and 2003 each killed several hundred wolves.

Continue reading at Scientific American.

WATCH: President Obama’s Heartfelt Thank You to Volunteers & Staff

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2012 in Podcast. Closed

Tadias Magazine:
By Tadias Staff

Updated: Friday, November 9, 2012

New York (TADIAS) – The day after his historic re-election for a second term, President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to his Chicago campaign headquarters in the morning. In the following video released by campaign officials, Mr. Obama delivered an emotional speech in which he thanked his staff and volunteers.

President Obama won a decisive victory for a second term on Tuesday, defeating his Republican challenger Governor Mitt Romney and sweeping all the battleground states, including, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa, New Hampshire and Florida.

The campaign said it released the video “because it’s a message every single person who helped build this campaign deserves to see. He wasn’t just talking to those of us in the office — he was talking to all of you.”

The video has already received nearly 1.5 million hits on YouTube.

WATCH: President Obama’s Emotional Talk With Campaign Staff

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Related:
What Does the Re-Election of Obama Mean for U.S.-Ethiopia Relations?
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Gebre Gebremariam wins first ING New York City Marathon, injury forces Haile Gebrselassie to retire

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2010 in Featured. 8 Comments

Above: Ethiopia’s Gebre Gebremariam crosses the finish line
in Central Park in his marathon debut. (Associated Press)

BY Wayne Coffey
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER

Originally Published:Sunday, November 7th 2010, 12:03 PM
Updated: Monday, November 8th 2010, 1:15 AM

He took his gloves off in the 23rd mile, flinging them into the air as if they were autumn leaves. His ski cap came off not long after. Soon Gebre Gebremariam was gone, shedding his two top competitors next, a rawboned Ethiopian ruling a remarkable race that included a stunning retirement, an indomitable miner and the largest field in the annals of sport.

“It’s my first marathon, and I’m number one here,” said Gebremariam, 26, not long after he crossed the finish line in two hours, eight minutes, 14 seconds, to capture the 41st ING New York City Marathon Sunday. “I am so happy to win.”

In achieving his upstart triumph on a day when a record 45,344 runners started, the 5-10, 123-pound Gebremariam became the first rookie to win the race in 27 years, taking a prize that most figured would go to his 37-year-old countryman, Haile Gebrselassie, the marathon world record-holder and a man widely acclaimed to be the greatest distance runner in history.

Obama Calls Health Care Bill’s Passage ‘Courageous’

Published by Tadias Magazine November 8th, 2009 in News. Closed

Above: President Obama made a statement to the media in
the Rose Garden at the White House on Sunday. (Brendan
Hoffman for The New York Times).

The New York Times
By CARL HULSE and ROBERT PEAR
Published: November 8, 2009
WASHINGTON — President Obama, seeking to build momentum on Capitol Hill after the House passed a $1.1 trillion, 10-year plan to overhaul the nation’s health care system, urged the Senate on Sunday to “take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line.” Speaking in the Rose Garden exactly 24 hours after he appeared there Saturday to call for House passage of the bill, Mr. Obama praised House members for what he called a ‘’courageous vote” that “brought us closer than we have ever been” to extending coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. He said the bill fulfilled his promise to bring sweeping change to the lives of millions of Americans. Read more.

Video: Confident Senate Will Take Reform To The “Finish Line”