PM and Presidents can also go to College to seek information, education and Wisdom and

Dear Patriotic Global Citizens and Friends of Greater Ethiopia 

Without Borders!

Perspectives and Perceptions at Columbia University!

It is not about Zenawi or Obamabut the Global Ecologic and Economic Crisis! Stupid!

Universities and colleges are about learning perspectives, perceptions and then seeking common shared values and strategies for solutions!

It is amazing to read why Going to College is such a crime?  The generation who claimed "Revolution before Education"  has a serious challenge of understanding that Education should always be before change.

I.  First the Research Pyramid:  How can we change the current Global Economic and Ecological Crisis?

Ask What, Why, How, Who, When and Where first.

1. What is the type of change needed today at the center of Global Economic and Ecological Crisis?

2.  Why do we need the change?

3. How do we bring about change that is useful and keeps the interests of 7 Billion people around the world?

4.  Who are the stakeholders for the economic and ecological crisis?  the proponents and saboteurs of change?

5.  Where should we start in the tropics or the poles?

6. When should we begin to act?  Now or Never?

II. Second: Then the CORT Analysis: Challenges, Opportunities, Risks and Threats?

Identify the challenges, opportunities, risks and threats of Global Economic Crisis (Corporate Welfare) and Ecological Crisis (Corporate Greed) and the lack of Good Governance based on facts, science and Needs Assessment.

III.  Third:  The Option and Alternative Appraisals :

What are the Options and Alternatives at local, regional and global level.

In effect looking at ABC and 123

Option:  A, B C

Alternatives : 1. 2 3.

IV.  Decision Science:  Options and their strategic implementation:  Immediate, Short and Long Term impact

A. Best Option:  Option that deals with both ecological and economic Crisis:  Clean Energy, Green technologies

B.  Win-Win Option:  Transition technologies and economies like Hybrid technologies and 

nano technologies

C.  Compromise Option:  Time sensitive changes that accommodates resource, talent and technological developments over time.

V.  Actionable Strategies/ SMART Action: Specific, Measurable, Appropriate, Realistic and Time Sensitive.

1.  Do Nothing.  Continue to observe and try few Pilot Projects for qualitative and quantitative research

2. Do Something: Talk, Research and suggest ideas and few feasibility studies

3. Do Everything:  Time is short, start addressing all issues with specific SMART Objectives

The above five series are strategies to address the current Global Economic and Ecologic Crises rather urgently.

We are all in this boat called the Aging Planet and its challenges of Population Explosion.

We can continue to blame the Universe, the Galaxies, the Stars, the Planets, the Moon and then the weather? and do nothing.

Alternatively we can blame all 9 Billion people who have died and the living 7 Billion and sacrifice some of the leaders to some of our un  substantiated rage, and celebrate at our upcoming Witch Parties and Thanks Giving and then ask for forgiveness during Yom Kipppur, Kwanza and Christmas and start all over again with our mad New Year parties to look for another excuse for our in action.

We need to act fast and act soon at individual and collective level

Time to work and to seek for lasting solutions, instead of closing education centers in Africa and then wanting to close down education exercises in Columbia, New York.

Let us do the right thing and go back to school!  In the end it is all perspectives and perceptions!  I look forward to learn from your perspectives and perceptions!

Remember: It is not about Zenawi or Obama, it is about the Global Economic and Ecologic Crisis- stupid!

Belai Habte-Jesus, MD,MPH

Global Strategic Enterprises 4 Peace and Prosperity

www.globalbelai4u.blogspot.com

www.SolomonicCrown.com

Mr. Zenawi Goes to College!

September 21st, 2010 |

Alemayehu G. Mariam

Zenawi's Charm Offensive in America?

Fresh on the heels of shutting down all private distance education, Including distance higher education, and "winning" the Parliamentary election in May by 99.6 percent, dictator-in-chief Meles Zenawi is scheduled to speak at Columbia University on September 22 and His Trumpet accomplishments as the guardian of Democracy and Prosperity in Ethiopia and provider of enlightened leadership to the African continent. The puffed-up announcement for His appearance at Columbia's World Leaders Forum, Which subsequently WAS Withdrawn by an embarrassed administration University, Stated:

... Meles Zenawi of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia will presents The keynote address on the topic of Ethiopia and African Leadership. His address will launch the World's GCC and Africa series .... Zenawi has served as chairman of the Organisation of the African Union (1995-1996), as co-chairman of the Global Coalition for Africa, and WAS appointed as Chair of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) ... Zenawi Was the co-chairperson of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2006, Which Led to the adoption of the Beijing Action Plan for Economic Progress in partnerships. Under the leadership of seasoned Governmental ... ... Ethiopia Zenawi Continues to make and has made progresses (sic) in Areas Including many in education, transportation, healthand energy.

The event is designed to facilitate "conversations to Examine Africa's place in the world". The "Key Subjects" of the conversation reportedly "includes the future of African agriculture, the explosion of Asian investment on the continent, The Evolving Contours of Global Aid to Africa, and the impact of the financial crisis on the region."

Allowing Zenawi to Speak at Columbia is "An Affront to His Victims" of Human Rights Abuses

Nowhere is the case for disallowing Zenawi the right to speak at Columbia University made more convincingly and compellingly Than in the letter of Two Ethiopian Extraordinarily Courageous husband and wife team of journalists, Eskinder Serkalem Fasil and Nega, touniversity president Lee Bollinger. They wrote [1]:

We are banned Ethiopian journalists who Were charged with treason by the government of PM Meles Zenawi Subsequent to disputed election results in 2005, incarcerated under deplorable Circumstances, only to be acquitted Sixteen months later, after prematurely Serkalem Fasil Gave birth in prison.

Severely underweight at birth Because Serkalem's Physical and Psychological privation in one of Africa's worst prisons, an incubator WAS deemed life-saving to the new-born child by prison doctors; Which WAS, in an act of incomprehensible vindictiveness, denied by the authorities. (The child miraculously Nevertheless Survived. Thanks to God.)

... While we acknowledge [Zenawi's] right to express His views, it is an affront to His government's Numerous Victims of Repression HIM to grant the privilege to do so notable on the Premises of Columbia ...

Serkalem and Eskinder are absolutely right Outraged In Their expressions of Disapproval of Zenawi's speech at Columbia. These are two Ethiopian journalists for Whom I Have The Highest Respect and Admiration. They are selfless patriots who Could Be Best Described in Churchillian terms: "Never in the field of journalism WAS so much owed by so Many to So Few."

I Have Been approached by Various groups and individuals to urge the leadership of Columbia to dis-invite or Zenawi Have The universityWithdraw the offer of delivering the keynote address. " The Reasons are many. Some say mere invitation to speak at the world-class institution gives Zenawi A Certain patina of legitimacy, Which Could he use camouflage to hoodwink Americans and His criminal history.Others say he will try to use the event as a soapbox to spread lies about his "accomplishments", complete with Wholly fabricated statistics about "double digit growth" [2] and fairy tales of a 99.6 percent election victory, and use the Forum as a bully pulpit to rag Against His Critics. There Are Those Who Suggest That Stiglitz staged the keynote address "to give his" buddy Zenawi "an opportunity to clean up and build up His image Some intellectual" creds, "Zenawi Which Could take back to Ethiopia for bragging rights. The Those Who Respect the views of Columbia to urge disinvite Zenawi.

But as a university professor and Constitutional lawyer steadfastly dedicated to free speech, I Have Adopted One Yardstick for All issues Concerning Free Speech, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and Impart Any information and ideas through media and regardless of frontiers. "I underscore the words" everyone "and" regardless of frontiers. "

Alternatively Stated, though I Condemn His Zenawi for abuse, mistreatment and cruelty and Eskinder Against Serkalem and other journalists, disagree with HIM on His Repeated theft of Elections, trashing of the Ethiopian Human Rights of Citizens, boldfaced lies about Economic Growth [2] manipulation of the Judiciary for political purposes, unjust incarceration of Birtukan Midekssa, the first woman political party leader in Ethiopian history and other tens of Thousands of political prisoners, crackdown on the press and Civil Society Organizations, subversion of the legislative process to mill out repressive Laws and His Completely bogus theory of "ethnic federalism" (an artifice of His divide-and-rule strategy) and so on, I Shall Defend vigorously His right to speak at Columbia Not Just Any Other But at public venues in the United States of America.

Right to Protest

Let me make it clear That I am not here Arguing That Those who wish to protest Zenawi's speech at Columbia SHOULD NOT do so. They Should, and I vigorously Defend Their Constitutional right to protest and express fully Their views about His actions and policies. My only plea to Them Is That We Should Strive to make this opportunity a teachable moment for Zenawi. In my view, it Would be a crying shame for His Zenawi to hop on plane and go back to Ethiopia to Himself mumbling something about the "extreme Diaspora" and so on Because he is heckled, Somehow disrupted or impeded from speaking. I say if we can tolerate racist and hate speech on university campuses, Also we can tolerate the petty tyrant of a rant for an hour or two.

A teachable Moment for a Tyrant

My Reasons for Defending Zenawi's right to speak are principled, straightforward and myriad:

Most at the elementary level, the American university is a traditional forum for the free exchange of ideas, Whether silly or sublime. Every year, tens of Thousands of speeches on American university campuses are Given. Even the Representatives of the Neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan and motley crews of racists and fascists are allowed to speak on American university campuses. By The Same Token, Zenawi Should Be Able to speak at Columbia.

I Realize That May Not Be in this popular view to hold, But I am reminded of the painful truth in Professor Noam Chomsky's admonition: "If we do not believe in freedom of expression for people we Despise, we do not believe in it at all. "On a personal level, it Would be hypocritical of me to Argue for free speech and press freedoms in Ethiopia and justify censorship or muzzling of Zenawi stateside. If censorship is bad for the good Citizens of Ethiopia, It Is Also Bad for the dictators of Ethiopia.

But There Is Another Set of Reasons Why I want to speak at Columbia Zenawi. I want the event to be a teachable moment for HIM.Perhaps this opportunity will AFFORD HIM A Glimpse of The Clash of Ideas that routinely take place in American universities. May he begin to appreciate the simple truth That Rejected ideas and arguments are accepted and won and lost in the Cauldron of critical analysis oxygenated by the bellows of free speech, not in prison dungeons WHERE journalists and dissidents are bludgeoned and left to rot. Zenawi By denying the right to speak at Columbia, Also we risk becoming prisoners of ignorance. That is why free speech is at the core of Nelson Mandela's teaching: "A Man Who Takes Away Another Man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred, he is locked behind the bars of Prejudice and narrow-mindedness." Free speech is the Key by Which one escapes from the steel bars and stonewalls of "Prejudice and narrow-mindedness." I sincerely hope Zenawi will find That key at Columbia and finally escape from His bleak and desolate planet of "Prejudice and narrow-mindedness."

On Another Level, to disallow Zenawi from speaking is an implicit admission That We fear ideas. Zenawi has muzzled and intimidated Nearly all of His critics and shuttered newspapers in Ethiopia, jammed the Voice of America and the independent Ethiopian Satellite Television Service and enacted repressive press and Civil Society Laws Because he is afraid of ideas - ideas about freedom, democracy, human rights, accountability, transparency, the rule of law and so on. But the old adage Still Holds True: "There Is Nothing More Powerful Than an idea Whose Time Has Come." In America, we cherish and embrace good ideas (Not Fear Them) Them and put into practice, we discard the bad ones in the trash.
But I have a reason That overrides all others. I believe in the power of truth. We Can Defend Neither the truth nor championed it by muzzling the liar. Let Zenawi speak! Let Him Have His "conversation"!

A Few Topics for "Conversation"

Since Professor Stiglitz is interested in Having a "conversation" here are A Few topics Should he ask Zenawi to talk about. How Is It That Ethiopia, under his "seasoned leadership, managed to rank:

138/159 (most corrupt) Countries on the Corruption Index for 2010.

Among the 17 Most failed states (Somalia is No. 1) on the Failed States Index for 2010.

136/179 Countries (most repressive) on the 2010 Index of Economic Freedom.

107/183 Economies for ease of doing business (investment climate) by The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2010.

37/53 (poorest governance quality) African Countries in the 2010 Ibrahim Index of African Governance.

101/128 Countries in 2010 on the Political and Economic Bertelsmann Transformation Index, and

141/153 (Environmental poorest public health and ecosystem vitality) Countries in the 2010 Environmental Performance Index.

Fables, Fairy Tales and Q & As

I can imagine Zenawi's angst at the podium Preparing to Tell His fables and fairy tales about Ethiopia's double-digit growth, democracy and leadership in Africa, Globalization and Its Impact on Africa or whatever topic he Chooses at the last minute to muddled His audience.It's all good, fairy tales are entertaining. However, I Suspect That The Story-telling sessions will not be the usual cakewalk. At Columbia, unlike His rubberstamp parliament, Meles Zenawi Will Not Be Able to scowl at, browbeat, belittle or mock anyone, and the unless Stiglitz and company rig the Q & A session to give Zenawi only softball questions, he is going to get some heavy duty drubbing from students and faculty. I would wager to say That His speech will not be the usual soporific monologue, it will be a real "conversation" where he will be asked questions That will make HIM cringe and wince.
I can imagine the audience Asking These Questions:

Mr. Zenawi, what is the special magical spell you used to win the May 2010 election by 99.6 percent?

Answer: "Say 'abracadabra' ten times while holding a rabbit's foot in the left hand at the crack of dawn."

When will you stop trashing the Ethiopian Human Rights of Citizens?

Answer: "As soon as you tell me When They started HAVING human rights.

Why do you lie about double-digit Economic Growth cooked up by using numbers from your Central Statistics Office? [1]

Answer: "There are 'lies and plausible lies'. Our statistics are of the Latter variety. "

Why did you shut down all distance education programs in the country?

Answer: "Because education is overrated."

Why did you wipe out the private independent media in the country?

Answer: "Because They Do not Like Me."

Do you really believe the Voice of America Is the Same as genocide Rwanda's Radio Mille Collines?

Answer: "VOA VOI (Voice of Interhamwe). It All Sounds The Same To Me. "

What do you think of your critics in the U.S.?

Answer: "They are all friggin extremists in the Diaspora. I can not stand them. Why? Oh! Why Do not They Like Me?!? "

Do you believe in the rule of law?

Answer: Yep! I am it. "

When will you release Birtukan Midekssa, the only woman political party leader in Ethiopian history, from prison?

Answer: "'There Will Never Be Anybody with an agreement to release Birtukan. Ever Full stop. That's a dead issue '. "

"If there are no more questions, I am outta here!"

Just at That moment, I can imagine President Bollinger leaping to His feet with index finger wagging in righteous indignation and proclaiming: "Mr. Prime Minister, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator. "

We Are All Ears!

Let Zenawi speak! Let's hear what he has to say. Will it be the usual cascade of Lies, Half-Truths, buzzwords, platitudes, cliches and boiler plate economics Hokum bunkum? I have no idea. Over the Past Several Days, Stiglitz and crew Have Been Playing the old switcheroo on the topics Zenawi will be talking about. First, They Said Zenawi will speak on "Ethiopia and Africa leadership." They changed and Said That He will talk about "The Current Global Economy and Its Impact." They now say he will be talking about "The Current Global Economy and Its Impact on Africa". It is not clear what Zenawi has expertise on globalization or what morsels of wisdom he May Be Able to impart But Stiglitz Should Have no problems writing a nice scholarly-sounding speech for Zenawi to read. After all, the "impact of the global economy on Africa" is the snake oil Joe "The Globalizer" Stiglitz Has Been peddling for the past decade.

Regardless, Zenawi Worthwhile May Have something to say. I do not know. We will not know the unless we hear HIM speak. The bottom line Is that Zenawi Would Rather Go Blind Than face the naked truth about His atrocious record over the past two decades, But We Are Not Afraid to comparisons His Best Dressed lies at the World Leaders Forum. At the end of the day on September 22, When the fog clears over Columbia Zenawi Would Have Walked off the stage at the Low Library as he Walked on it: An emperor with new clothes! So I say: Rap on, Emperor. Rap on!

Welcome to the land of the free and home of the brave!

FREE ALL POLITICAL AND BIRTUKAN MIDEKSSA Prisoners in Ethiopia.

[1] http://www.ethiomedia.com/augur/3900.html
[2] "The Voodoo Economics of Meles Zenawi, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/ethiopia-the-voodoo-econo_b_542298.html