A 'Vacuum' In Libya: An Opening For Al-Qaida? |
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Ethiopia is Not Egypt |
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Ethiopia is Not Egypt Ethiopia is Not Egypt
By Yared Ayicheh President Hosni Mubarak has finally stepped down. Congratulations to Egyptians and glory to the hundreds of martyrs who paid with their lives to bring the 30 year old dictator to his knees. Egyptian military’s restraint to use force and not to undermine the voice of the people it serve’s has been superb, much respect to the Egyptian military – well done! As an Ethiopian, I must say, I feel jealous, very jealous of Egyptians. First they use the Nile River, while we sing about it. Second, they have a much better economy than Ethiopia – they don’t have food shortage or famine. And now, third, they have challenged and pressured their dictator to step down. I am very jealous—but in a good way. It’s a fact that the initiating causes for the Egyptian uprising are also all present in Ethiopia. But Ethiopia is not Egypt. Egypt has its own history, geo-political importance, economic dynamics, and political background. It is simply irrational for Ethiopia to be like Egypt. Ethiopia needs its own custom tailored solution to its challenges. History: Historically Egypt is seen as one of the oldest civilizations in the world—some estimate Ancient Egyptian history to be 5000 years old [1]. The Ancient Egyptians are in no way to be compared with the Ancient Ethiopians – the evidence for the Egyptian civilization is just insurmountable when compared with Ancient Ethiopian civilizations. We Ethiopians claim to be ‘civilized’, and yet the reality is we are anything but civilized. We are backward and uncivilized! Any Ethiopian that fails to accept this reality, I am willing to label, is brainwashed by propaganda or is delusional.
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From Tahrir to Meskel Square |
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Ethiopia - Yes We Can! From Tahrir to Meskel Square
A Response to Yared Ayicheh and et al Tibebe Samuel Ferenji The father of modern nonviolent movement Mahatma Gandhi said “I can not teach you violence, as I do not myself believe in it. I can only teach you not to bow your heads before any one even at the cost of your life.” I was standing at the Red Light at the intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and University Boulevard at 11:05 AM, when I heard the news about the resignation of Egypt’s Mubarek. Few minutes before that, I was dissecting the piece written by Ato Yared Ayicheh and some of the comments written by the EPRDF supporters. I was replaying in my head Mr. Mubarek’s defiant and arrogant response to the people’s demand that he resign from his post ASAP. Then, I was thinking about the fate of Mr. Meles Zenawi. I was wondering if Mr. Zenawi is going to use this golden opportunity to rise to the occasion and leave a foot print in the political history of Ethiopia; or continue to be defiant and leave a finger print on his way to prison, or exit the country to live in exile to be hunted down like a common criminal. Then, the airwave was filled with the announcement of Mr. Mubarek’s resignation. I have no words to describe what I felt. I said to my self, Yes, today I am an Egyptian! |
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Jasmine Revolution |
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The Case against Jasmine Revolution in Ethiopia
By Yared Ayicheh
Ethiopian Paltalk rooms have been discussing if Ethiopians should rise up against the Ethiopian government and overthrow it or not. Pro-government supporters respond by blindly denying the need for uprising, while the anti-government elements are salivating at this perceived opportunity. It’s a fact that there are eerie similarities between Tunis, Cairo and Addis, such as corruption, rise of food prices, long term ‘serving’ leaders or dictators, and human rights abuses. The reality is Ethiopians have every reason for uprising more than the Tunisians or Egyptians have. But the right question to me is this: Do Ethiopians need to change the Ethiopian government by popular uprising? Can Ethiopia afford to go through another ‘revolution’? My answer is a definite and absolute “no”, and here is why. |
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