Dr. Berhanu’s long-anticipated book coming to a store near you!

Also in the news: Betrayal of democracy *Premier*, Sabotaging Somali Peace, Cleaning the Augean stables, information war targeting Citizens,Out of Africa and more of today’s top stories!

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As some of our readers have noted, we haven’t had a podcast in a while. The reason being we had some technical issues we needed to remedy. But now we are back in business! You can now suggest someone you would like to have interviewed. Send your e-mails to EthiopianPolitics@yahoo.com – please be sure to include “Podcast Interview” on the subject line.
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-Berhanu Nega

Taken in December 2005, this photograph of Brehanu Nega (PhD), one of the top leaders of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), has been voted as the “Best Picture of the Year” by AddisFortune.

(click on picture to enlarge) The picture shows Brehanu exiting a prison administration van to appear before the federal high court when it was presiding up at Sidist Kilo, inside the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development compound. Those who chose this photo commented that they see Brehanu as an “honest freedom fighter” and a man “who searches for justice where justice is yet to be found”. “[The picture] shows he is willing to go to prison for the people of Ethiopia rather than disrespect them,” said participants “He’s my hero.”

Dr. Berhanu’s long-anticipated book coming to a store near you!

We are pleased to announce the arrival of the long awaited book of Dr. Berhanu Nega, “Yenesanet Goh Seked” in the US. The book is dedicated to all Ethiopians who have died, been tortured and detained for the love of their country and their tireless fight to promote human rights and democracy that our country, Ethiopia, so desperately needs. It is a call for truth, understanding and responsibility and a must read and must have reference book for any Ethiopian who sincerely wants a solution to the political crisis in our country and wants to contribute for the cause. It is also a quick page turner distilling the Amharic language to its basic form for all, including those whom Amharic is a second language, to understand and enjoy.(More...)

Betrayal of Democracy: Ethiopia - A new documentary film
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This documentary film Premiers Saturday, September 16, 2006

Time: 6:00 pm

Location: UCLA Ackerman Union Hall 2nd Floor
308 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Guest Speaker: Alemayehu G. Mariam, Ph. D., J.D. (Esq.)
Professor of Political Science and Attorney at Law

Mr. Obang Metho - Anuak Justice Council (More...)
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A riveting and revealing documentary film depicting the deepening crisis of democracy in Ethiopia under the current EPRDF government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

This film gives a shocking insider’s view of politics in a Third World country where a system of tyranny, corruption and oppression is being held in place by a complex assortment of players, ranging from Ethiopians themselves to those in the international community, all who influence the internal affairs of the second most populous country in Africa, not always with the best interests of the Ethiopian people in mind.

When the current Ethiopian Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, led the rebel movement that overthrew the communist government of Mengistu in 1991, the Ethiopian people rejoiced, thinking that the same winds of change that brought down the Berlin Wall might reach all the way to Ethiopia. As a country ravaged by famine, disease, corruption and oppression, Meles Zenawi immediately became a popular leader as he promised the people freedom, democracy, the rule-of-law and prosperity. But, after sixteen years, democracy remains only an illusive dream of the Ethiopian people. What went wrong? (More...)

Government preparing to wage information war on Citizens

Previouslly Ethio-Zagol had reported of the government's plan to suppress information and of the formation of a group of IT engineers and spies trained in Israel to conduct information warfare targeting citizens of Ethiopia.

Now EZ is reporting of the formation of another similar group under the Information Security Project. The project is headed by: Tesfaye Birru (seen here); Former GM of the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation Colonel Teklebirhan Woldearegay and Ato Abiy Mohammed. The project has employed three additional software IT experts. One of the tasks set for this group is to monitor e-mail exchanges of Citizens.

Out of Africa

It's been five years since Ejigayehu “Gigi” Shibabaw's self-titled debut, which brought a lot of deserved international recognition to the Ethiopian singer's ethereal, floating voice—not to mention the production values of her husband, Bill Laswell.

In fact, Gigi's sound has become synonymous with Laswell's thick, rich production on subsequent releases as well, including the “reproduction and mix translation” of her debut on Illuminated Audio (Palm Pictures, 2003) and the collaborative “Ethiopian soul music” on Abyssinia Infinite's Zion Roots.(More...)

Today's Top Stories

-Ethiopia’s EPRDF- Cleaning the Augean stables
-Zenawi Hell-Bent on Sabotaging Somali Peace Efforts (Ogaden Online)
-Channel O to Incorporate Ethiopian Traditional Music
-AU backs 8,000 troops for Somalia
-U.S. lauds Syria for embassy defense
-65 bodies found in latest Iraq bloodshed
-Scientists: Earth storms lead to space storms
-Colombian gangsters face sex ban
-Amin movie premieres in Toronto
-TUPAC SHAKUR remembered ten years after his death