Legal Analysis of Ethiopia’s State of Emergency

Summary On October 9, 2016, the Ethiopian government announced a country-wide six-month state of emergency. This followed a year of widespread protests against government policies that state security forces violently suppressed, killing hundreds of people and detaining tens of thousands. [1]   Protesters also committed a number of attacks on government buildings and private businesses perceived…

The 5 Easiest Ways to Protect Yourself Online -Edward Snowden

In a recent interview with The Intercept, Edward Snowden offered some advice for what average citizens can do to reclaim their privacy. Because the sharing of information should be a conversation, not an enigma buried in a site’s ‘Terms of Service.’ 1. This includes Signal, an easy-to-use app that encrypts your mobile phone messages, as…

Ethiopia’s crisis and Congress

By Annie Boyajian, The Hill When Congress adjourned in September, it had failed to vote on resolutions on Ethiopia (S.Res. 432/H.Res. 861). When it returns, it should pass them without delay. Ethiopia, an important security partner and ally, is heading for crisis. The country is suffering its worst unrest in years in response to the government’s…

What Ethiopia’s withdrawals from AMISOM mean for Somalia

Why is Ethiopia bringing back some of the best-trained and best-equipped soldiers fighting al-Shabaab? Until recently, Ethiopia contributed 4,400 troops to AMISOM’s 22,000 in Somalia. Credit: AU UN/Tobin Jones. This month has seen multiple withdrawals of Ethiopia National Defense Force (ENDF) units from Somalia. On 11 October, ENDF soldiers under the African Union Mission in…

Why is Morocco Returning to African Union?

            Photo: The New Times | Moroccan King Mohammed VI in Rwanda. By Joseph Rwagatare Two countries are making determined efforts to return to Africa. One is, in fact, an African country. Morocco left the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) 32 years ago over the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic…

An Oromo Democratic Front (ODF) Proposal

Ethiopia stands at a crossroads, once again. But this time the prospects facing it are much more starkly contrasting than during past instances of change. If it is put on one course of change, achieving a final breakthrough to a common democratic future looks distinctly promising. If such a course is blocked or not pursued…