araptirop

An extended backpacking jaunt around Ethiopia.

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Location: Washington, DC, United States

I lead a rich inner life, appreciate a good marshmallow, and have been known to indulge in the occasional Wednesday afternoon tryst underneath the linden tree. I am currently between extended trips to East Africa; this is my story.

26 November 2006

Amsterdam Photos



The first batch of photos from Amsterdam: 11/21-11/24.

It's been productive, photographically speaking. I've had a bit of trouble with storing the photos, not to mention uploading them, which has taken up most of my time. But here's the first effort; I hope you enjoy them, and I hope to start writing soon.

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23 November 2006

Amsterdam

Hello all,

Sorry for the respite in posting, but I'm in Amsterdam trying to pull everything together. Everything's been fine so far, and photos should be forthcoming once a couple of technical difficulties are hammered out.

Tot Ziens!

 

13 November 2006

Holland 1998



See the Flickr set with photo descriptions: Holland 1998.

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12 November 2006

Save Darfur



Save Darfur

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11 November 2006

Ethiopia Receives $37 million in Food Aid

I find this $37 million investiture a bit eyebrow raising, coming as it does from the U.S. The broad consensus is that the United States is playing the crony card with an African dictator again. In this case, the dictator is Meles Zenawi--an autocrat lumbering into his fifteenth year of iron-fisted rule.

The U.S. has been widely accused of supporting Ethiopia's involvement in the never-ending Somalia conflict because Meles' government is the only regional power willing to take on the metastasizing Union of Islamic Courts. The matter is further complicated by Eritrea's involvement and the resultant zero sum pissing contest between her and Ethiopia. I'm beginning to wonder if the transitional government in Baidoa isn't just a bit of shadow puppetry anymore. Somalia has been a basket case since 1991; now it's shaping up to be another Zaire.

You have to wonder what tossing $37 million into the coffers of a less-than-transparent regime is going to do aside from encourage further escalation. Meles is as unpopular as ever after the Ethiopian Elections Massacre of 2005, so a bit of misdirection is in order (say, a war perchance?). Instead of encouraging him to govern properly and release thousands of political prisoners, we're reinforcing his allocation of state resources into transnational war-mongering. It's a tacit go-ahead at the very least.

At this stage in world history, it seems prudent for Christian countries to let Muslim ones sort things out for themselves. Whether or not the UIC is in fact linked to Al Qaeda, you can bet on Somalia being a nice little petri dish for Islamic fundamentalism once you add the Christian crusader element.

But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it won't be the next Zaire. Maybe it will be the next Iraq.

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Resources and Links for Backpacking in East Africa


General Travel


AdrianWarren.com: extremely helpful--everything you'll need to know about using technology such as computers and cameras on the road.

Budget Travel Online: good tips for travel on the cheap.

Couch Surfing: it's worth using this site to find a free couch to sleep on.

Country Calling Codes: learn how to call a particular country.

Cyber Cafes: tells of worldwide cyber cafe locations.

Practical Nomad: a nice list of pertinent links.

Rolff Potts: a good place to learn about travel writing and the art of vagabonding.

Universal Currency Converter: turns your dollars into shillings.

US State Department: learn new things to fear.

World Hum: my favorite travel hub.


Africa Travel Resources


Africa Guide: BootsnAll's guide to Africa--painfully average but a decent forum.

AllAfrica: news from all the newspapers in Africa organized by region and country.

Africa South of the Sahara : Standford's Africa hub--by country, region and topic.

BBC Africa: sometimes trite, sometimes great, always news.

CIA World Factbook: proving once again that good can come of evil.

Geekeasy: a good guy with a good story and some good guides to Moshi and Addis.

Lonely Planet Thorntree: the premier Q&A forum for traveling in Africa.

Rough Guides Forum : nowhere near as active as the LP TT, but potentially helpful.

UPenn African Studies: an excellent page with information by country.


Africa Blogs


Africa Unchained: discuss Africa's development and problems.

BlackLooks: an award-winning and intelligent site that shakes things up.

BlogAfrica: a good aggregate of people writing on African issues.

Chippla's Weblog: an informed take the news coming out of Africa and elsewhere.

Jewels in the Jungle: taking a closer look at Africa today.

My Heart's in Africa: a blog with consistent African content.

Notebook Africa: Christian Science Monitor reporters' experiences and reflections.


Congo


Congogirl: keep up to date on the Congo and beyond.

Jeremierita: a good source for Congo travel tips.

Lots of Big Ideas : a Congolese blogger who gives voice to victims of violence.


Ethiopia


Ethiopundit: eclectic Ethiopian and Ethio-American commentary.

Meskelsquare: an avid journalist working out of Ethiopia.

Weichegud!: Ethiopian politics.

Kenya


Kenyan Pundit: Kenyan culture and politics.

Kenya Unlimited: a nice collection of blogs from Kenya.

Kumekucha: conspiracy everywhere! intense and frequently updated.

Mental Acrobatics: the personal blog of a Kenyan patriot.

Mzalendo: find out what the Kenya Parliament is getting up to.


Rwanda

forthcoming.

Tanzania

forthcoming

Uganda

forthcoming.

 

09 November 2006

East Africa Guidebooks

While this site attempts to provide comprehensive content about what to expect when traveling in East Africa, it doesn't hurt to cross-reference it with an assortment of other sources. If organization is the key to success, then preparation is its foundation.

The sites listed in the Resources & Links section of the sidebar should serve you well in this capacity (particularly the LP Thorntree forum--one of the best Q&A communities on the net). But nothing beats the comfort of a good old-fashioned guidebook.

Below is a list of the guidebooks I have found most helpful in planning and executing a trip to East Africa. If there's a more recent edition (i.e. the 11th edition instead of the 10th), get it. The content changes very little from edition to edition of most guidebooks, but you'll be better appraised of current road conditions, dangers, and such with the most recent edition. It's probably not worth buying a new edition if you have the one published just prior to it. Obviously Happy Stan's Guide to Zaire 1973 just isn't going to cut it.

Regional


The encyclopedia for the cheapskate in Africa that, nevertheless, will clue you in to some good deals and bargain camp sites that other guidebooks exclude. The layout is easy to navigate; like most LP titles, it's arranged so that if you have a question you can flip quickly to the answer. Because it covers the entire continent, it is thin in certain areas--a nice change after wading through the more labyrinthine titles--so don't rely exclusively on this one. It works nicely in conjunction with country-specific guidebooks. The only disadvantage is that it's written in a style that someone lame thought you would think is cool; there is also a glaring overuse of the word 'shambolic' throughout.


East Africa, 7th Edition. Lonely Planet. 2006

Another good, broader guide. This one covers Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi although it would be a bit daffy to visit Burundi at the moment (the section consists mostly of warnings against doing so, so why include it?) and the Rwandan section is just plain bad. It has the familiar, user-friendly format and provides a good overview of everything without miring you in the detail you'd need for a longer stay. Overall, a suitable guide for someone stopping in a few East African countries and not venturing very far from the tourist-beaten track. No coverage of Ethiopia.


Healthy Travel Africa. Lonely Planet. 2000.

This Lilliputian book will scare the living daylights out of you. It covers every disease in sub-Saharan Africa, which means it's basically a catalogue of every debilitation on God's Green Earth. From Elephantiasis to Leprosy, they're all here.

That being said, it's a vital resource in that it trims the diseases down to size; it will tell you which ones you are likely to encounter and how to prepare for, recognize, and treat them. If you take a look at the CDC website, you'll see everything that your local (U.S.) travel clinic will know about outfitting you for an extended jaunt in East Africa; after paging through this book, you'll be able to take care of the rest. Particularly illuminating is the discussion on malarial prophylactics and the dangers of Larium (mefloquine) which you're unlikely to hear anything about in the U.S. (I, for one, highly discourage its use and recommend Malarone)

All in all, a good book for those who are straying outside the safari circuit and hypochondriacs--a bargain at $5.95


Kilimanjaro & Mount Kenya: A Climbing and Trekking Guide. The Mountaineers: Seattle, WA. 1999.

A decent volume that somehow finds itself in the no man's land between too-technical for the common reader and not technical enough for the mountaineer. There's nothing in the preparation section that you won't find in a more general audience guidebook (in fact, the author's advice on physical conditioning is dangerously minimal!), and I suspect that anyone attempting a technical summit of Batian or Nelion would want to contact the Mountain Club of Kenya anyway. I would definitely pick the LP Trekking in East Africa instead (see below), but people who want a good introduction to technical ice and rock climbs might want to scope this one out.

Trekking in East Africa, 3rd Edition. Lonely Planet. 2003.

If you intend to do any hiking, climbing or trekking in East Africa, this book is virtually essential. It only includes destinations in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Nevertheless, its coverage of both popular and rarely visited locations is so thorough that it could keep you roaming the wilderness for upwards of three months.

Among its more useful features are climate and rain tables (useful for knowing when not to climb), excellent contour maps, equipment and first-aid check lists, and suggestions for treks it doesn't extensively cover. If you seek to ascend Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya or the Rwenzoris, it provides information on reputable tour operators, good descriptions of various routes, sources for larger maps and an assessment of how much it will cost. If you are thinking about less-trodden peaks, the same goes for Mount Meru, Mount Elgon and Mount Hanang. Heck, it even covers the Cherangani, Loita and Loroghi hills!

An altogether excellent resource as both a primer and a springboard--though with the notable exception of treks in Rwanda, DRC and Ethiopia. A mere $16 at Amazon!


Ethiopia


Briggs, Philip. Ethiopia: The Bradt Travel Guide, 4th Edition. The Globe Pequot Press: Guilford, Connecticut. 2005.

The superior guidebook to Ethiopia, though LP has a better cartography department (see below). Philip Briggs is an old hand in the African guidebook scene, and his experience shows. The guidebook is well-written, maniacally researched and almost preternaturally informative. Briggs' enthusiasm for the country is infectious; you can tell the book is a labor of love. The result is a truly magisterial work. Whatever Bradt pays him, it isn't enough.

Whereas the LP guidebook will leave the more serious backpacker with some unresolved questions, the Bradt guide will leave your head swimming with Ethiopian minutiae. This book fills in where the LP lacks, most notably on Lake Tana, the Tigraian monasteries, the forbidding Afar region, the crater lakes, Bale Mountain NP, and the western region around Gambella. With its varied descriptions and route suggestions, it makes for a more flexible tome.

That being said, the detail of this book--while awe-inspiring--is also daunting. In plunging headlong into the people and places of Ethiopia, Briggs sacrifices a bit in the way of accessibility. Things get a bit confusing, if not confused, over the course of 600 pages. But there is absolutely no alternative for people looking to detach themselves from the standard fare.

This book is a commitment that will pay bigger dividends to the more ambitious backpacker and more than fulfill the less hardcore visitor. It includes some very astute reflections on the nature of tourism and Ethiopia's problems which will go a long way in preparing you. This book is about as definitive and assured as anything gets.


Ethiopia & Eritrea, 4th Edition. Lonely Planet. 2006

As mentioned above, second-best to the Bradt guide but still worth a look if not a buy. It's especially good for someone considering Eritrea, but with that country now in the midst of a hard-line Islamic lock down, no land access from Ethiopia and no travel outside the capital of Asmara, of questionable value. The LP guide is more accessible and the maps have a higher degree of professionalism (if less detail).


Kenya


Rough Guide to Kenya, 8th Edition. Rough Guides. 2006.

Simply put, my favorite guidebook of all-time. High marks for thoroughness (even in the remote North), ease of use and grace of prose. It's the kind of guidebook that you want to crawl into bed with; I've passed many nights alone, yet fulfilled, with some gentle tunes, a couple of hot toddies, a duck in the oven, and The Rough Guide to Kenya.

It would be an insult to this, the crown jewel of guidebooks, to even juxtapose it with another. So decisively does it stand alone in the glutted market of Kenyan tourist literature that considering anything else betrays a sad poverty of judgment. It perfectly straddles the disjunction between detail and accessibility, appeals to all socioeconomic classes and has awesome maps. The writing and suggestions are tip-top. Indeed, the initiate to this guide finds himself wishing that LP would go the way of the American buffalo so that Rough Guides may assert its rightful title to East African guidebook supremacy. It's that good. Don't think, just get it.


Uganda

I haven't yet found a very helpful guidebook on Uganda, aside from the somewhat cursory coverage in LP East Africa (see review above). Stay tuned for when I find one or write one on this site.


Rwanda


Booth, Janice and Philip Briggs. Rwanda: The Bradt Travel Guide, 3rd Edition. The Globe Pequot Press: Guilford, Connecticut. 2006.

While this volume won't exactly light your world on fire, it is a solid book of the quality I've come to expect from Bradt and their star author Philip Briggs. It's the only one if its kind; that is, the only one covering Rwanda. It has good restaurant and accommodation reviews, sound advice, and even information on crossing into the DRC. A necessary buy if you're headed to Rwanda.


Tanzania


Rough Guide to Tanzania, 2nd Edition. Rough Guides. 2006

A good survey of Tanzania loaded with information for everything from the out-of-the-way to the safari circuit. Despite its venerable RG status, it doesn't reach the Olympian heights of the Kenyan edition.

It still manages to be a godsend to almost anyone traveling in Tanzania. It has a full color section for animal identification, excellent coverage of Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar, and hard-won advice on the remote Western and Southeastern areas of Tanzania.


I would choose this one over the LP Tanzania.

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07 November 2006

Waterproof and Windproof Pants

If you are doing any trekking or serious hiking, you need something waterproof for your legs--especially if you're backpacking during the rainy season (roughly from March until June or August through September in EA). If you plan on getting a , then you can probably do without the waterproof pants. Then, however, you will need windproof pants so that the wind doesn't slice into your warmth.

Whatever you decide, make sure that the pant legs zip up from the bottom reasonably far in order to accomodate your boots. A sunny day in a mountain can turn into a rainy one pretty quickly, so you'll want to be able to pull them on without doing an improvised rain dance and potentially worsening your situation.

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Welcome Page

Welcome to araptirop backpacking africa! This page will give you an idea of what this blog is all about.

This site has two primary functions. First and foremost, it is a living record of an extended overland journey in East Africa. The idea is to publish an ongoing travel narrative consisting of my trials, tribulations and observations (The Story). For more on the route I will be taking, please check out the Route Through East Africa.

My other objective while traveling will be to collect data that will make it easier for others such as yourself to backpack in Africa generally and East Africa specifically. I will compile lists and advice on the gear one needs (Gear), write reviews of eateries and accommodations (Reviews), generate a guide or two (Guides), and do whatever else seems vaguely helpful. Take a look at my Guidebook Reviews to learn about the ones that will get the job done.

All of this will be lavishly illustrated with Photos; some will be in the body of the blog, and others will be on My Flickr Page.

Please feel free eulogize or criticize in the comments section, and don't hesitate to email me with questions or communiqués (araptirop AT gmail.com).

Everything should be intuitively accessible from the sidebar. Enjoy!

--Dallas

P.S. This site is optimized for Mozilla Firefox.

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Pile Trousers for East African Mountains

Pile pants are nice for added warmth while hiking and sleeping; they will only be necessary on the highest peaks in East Africa: Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon--basically above 14,000 feet.

Recommended are Polartec® 200 Pants or 300 pants; side zippers are good for pulling up on the go.

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Hiking Pants/Shorts for Africa

In terms of pants and shorts, you should try to consolidate as much as possible. While it's nice to have a good pair of nylon hiking pants, in truth you will probably only need nylon shorts whilst hiking, as it can get quite toasty (you can use wind pants and waterproof pants as needed). With your gaiters coming up to your knees, you ought to be well-covered.

A nice compromise are pants that convert into shorts. With these convertible pants, you can use the pants as another layer when it gets cold, and possibly dispense with pile pants (when hiking at significant altitude) if your long underwear is good enough.

Whatever you choose, make sure they're nylon (cotton is too hot and retains too much water) and relatively waterproof. It's also best to choose clothing that's light-colored as darker colors attract bugs such as mosquitoes, tsetse flies and other Jurassic-sized insects.

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Backpacking Gear for Africa

Hey yall,

Just so you know, over the next week or so I'm going to be updating my gear list for those interested in undertaking a similar journey of spirit animal discovery. The blog is going to be a string of entries related to gear and little else for the time being.

The first travel narratives should be appearing in a mere two weeks!

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Boot Grease/Waterproofing

You'll need to waterproof those boots of yours. And because they're leather (as recommended), you'll need a specific agent.

I've always been happy with Nikwax, which I recommend.

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Socks

Comfortable socks that wick moisture away from your feet will be quite necessary for hiking. The right socks prevent blisters and the other scourges of trekking.

The basic formula for backpacking involves two pairs of socks used in conjunction: a thin, 'wicking' pair and a thick wool pair. Together, they offer superior protection from waterlogged feet and blisters.

How many pairs and types of socks you bring is dependent upon what you plan to do. For those who are doing anywhere from intermediate to serious hiking, I would recommend two pair of wicking socks (keep one pair dry), one to two pair of medium-thickness hiking socks, and two pairs heavy duty trekking socks. This offers the most flexibility in possible combinations and is most responsive to your evolving foot care needs.

You could, for instance, wear a medium thickness sock when in town, a wicking sock and heavy trekking sock when in the foothills, and a combination of wicking sock, medium hiking sock and heavy trekking sock when your feet are acting up on the most difficult alpine ascents.

The wicking sock should be made of a material that wicks moisture off your foot such as Coolmax. Fox River makes a nice wick dry liner sock.

In terms of the medium and heavy duty socks, you'll want a product with at least 75% wool. Personally, I owe my feet's durability to the Smartwool brand. Smartwool is a synthetic/wool blend that offers the best socks on the market. Their Medium Cushion Hiking Socks are an excellent hiking sock, while their Heavy Cushion Trekking sock should be available and your local backpacking store.

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Camp Shoes

Any tatty old pair of sneakers will do the job. They should be reasonably sturdy and comfortable. Running shoes are also appropriate.

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Gaiters in Africa

Although gaiters will make you look like a futuristic space fiend, I can't imagine doing even the most casual hiking in East Africa without them.

For one, they'll keep Africa's prodigious amounts of dust and debris out of your boots, thus saving your feet from further abuse. They'll also keep water out of them when you're crossing a stream or trundling through a downpour; if you're curious about trenchfoot, don't bring gaiters. And last but not least, they add another protective layer against a snakebite. Considering that East Africa has the world's deadliest snakes, from the black mamba (called the three-step snake--if it bites you, three steps and you're dead) to the puff adder, it's a good precaution to have gaiters when carousing through the low-visibility-below-the-knee bush.

I have always been more than content with Outdoor Research's brand of gaiters. I would recommend getting the model that 'buckles' under your boot instead of the newfangled ones that do the job with an elastic cord. The cord seems very suspect and sacrifices durability in the name of convenience. And it's not as if the buckle is 19th century German metaphysics. So, get the Outdoor Research Verglas Gaiter.

Keep in mind that gaiter sizes recommended according to men's shoe size. Use this key for fitting: Small (4-7), Medium (6-9), Large (8-11) and Extra Large (10-13).

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06 November 2006

Hiking Boots for Africa

Perhaps no other decision will be as important as your choice of hiking boots.

First of all, you'll be encountering varied terrain, whether in the mountains or the streets of East African cities. Secondly, you have the potential to change biospheres rapidly: you can go from desert to alpine moorland in three days. Finally, your mode of transport will be your feet, a part of your anatomy that you'll find the new subject of anxiety and worship.

The wrong pair of boots can aid the onset everything from Achilles tendonitus to a rash of crippling blisters. In the field, these injuries are potentially devastating. On the streets, they will make you more vulnerable. So, it goes without saying that a good pair of well-chosen boots is vital to backpacking in East Africa.

Medium-weight, light mountaineering boots offer the best compromise between the models available. The body of the boot should be full grain leather with a rubber (usually Vibram) sole. These types of boots are better for East Africa than the heavy mountaineering variety which take longer to break in and offer less flexibility.

Make sure the boot is designed for extended backpacking with heavy packs. Once broken in, it will make for a good, all-purpose boot for the hostel to hostel minded backpacker.

Boots are one of those things that you ought to try on and walk around in before buying. For this reason, I recommend visiting your local backpacking/outdoors store. Make sure the boot is secure (doesn't budge) but has enough room for your feet to breathe. You should put on two pairs of heavy trekking socks before trying on the boot, as this will account for the swelling of feet that usually occurs while backpacking.

A good test of boot size is to make sure the boot fits snugly and comfortably and then kick a wall as hard as your can with the toe of the boot. If your toe doesn't slide to the front of the boot, then it's probably a good fit. Obviously, you will need to create some kind of diversion for the salesperson when attempting this.

You should expect to pay $200-$250 for a good pair of hiking boots. Recommended brands are:

Asolo Men's TPS 520 GV

Asolo Women's TPS 520 GV

Men's Merrell Wilderness

Women's Merrell Wilderness

Garmont Men's Dakota Plus Nubuk

Dakota Nubuck - Women's by Garmont

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Master Gear List

Caveat: This is the comprehensive, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink list that probably applies to a very small percentage of people. It is for those who plan on doing enough trekking and mountaineering in East Africa to make the purchase (rather than rental of) such equipment an intelligent choice. It presumes that your maximum time period in the alpine wilderness will be 10 days.

An asterisk (*) indicates that the item is optional, though recommended (see individual gear items for discussion).


Footwear


Lower Body Clothing


Upper Body Clothing

  • Long Underwear Top
  • 2nd Warm Layer
  • 3rd Warm Layer
  • Vest (*)
  • Windproof Jacket (*)
  • Waterproof Jacket
  • Gloves
  • Glove Shells
  • Pile Cap
  • Sun Hat

Camping Gear

  • Tent
  • Footprint for Tent (*)
  • Sleeping Bag (w/stuff sack)
  • Sleeping Bag Liner
  • Mattress (w/repair kit if inflatable)
  • Chair Converter for Mattress (*)
  • Stove (w/cleaning kit)
  • Fuel Bottles
  • Cookware
  • Thermos, Bowl & Spoon
  • Lighter
  • Headlamp

Backpack

  • 4500-5500 cubic inch capacity backpack
  • Detachable Daypack (*)
  • Rain Cover (*)
  • Hydration System (*)

Miscellany

  • Watch
  • Leatherman, or at least a collapsible knife
  • Sunglasses (w/case)
  • Chapstick
  • Sunscreen
  • Towel
  • Shorts
  • Mosquito Net (*) and Repellent
  • Compass
  • Water Bottles (2)
  • Water Container (for camp kitchen & storage)
  • Water Filter or Purification Tablets
  • Bungie Cord
  • Toiletries


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05 November 2006

DOA: 4 December 2006

For my ever-growing and captive readership, I just thought I'd mention that I arrive in Ethiopia on 4 December. Until then, I'll be tweaking the blog. Most recent work has been done on the bibliography, which is extensive.

Also related to my life, if not necessarily this blog, I'll be heading to Holland on November 20. I arrive in Amsterdam on the 21st, where I'll no doubt unleash the dark side. This will be my third time there. I'll be staying in the Netherlands for two weeks to visit with members of the Dutch Resistance.

You see, my grandfather was a P-51 pilot during World War II who was shot down in German-occupied Holland around the time that Operation Market Garden took place. The Allies lost twice as many men as they did during D-Day during this, the last major German victory. I'm going to stay in Bilthoven with the 88-year old and ever-vivacious Miep who, along with her husband Wout, was largely responsible for sheltering my grandfather while he was evading capture by the Nazis.

I'll make my way to Angeren to see the field where my grandfather landed and buried his parachute. Then I'll go to Arnhem to see the bridge that was the objective of the operation, the so-called Bridge Too Far. Eventually, a Resistance member will show me where my grandfather crossed back into the safety of Allied territory. It should be illuminating to say the least.

Just a note: the annual Cannabis Cup is taking place in Amsterdam while I'm there. Perhaps I'll suss out the scene and take some pictures for you granola-munching, patchouli-stinking hippie vermin out there.

And it's too bad that Date of Arrival and Dead on Arrival have the same acronyms.

 

03 November 2006

East Africa Maps

Take a look at the maps I've collected:



Wanting to see the African Maps bigger, badder and radder?

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Ad Nonsense

The Google AdSense is acting up again. And it's almost impossible for me to talk about. You see, once a week, the Google Adsense bots storm my blog and index everything. AdSense is designed to provide ads relevant to the content. So any words I write that refer to the ads' topics will only reinforce them.

At first, everything was great. All the ads concerned Africa--safari companies and the like. Now, however, ever since my forays into other topics, the AdSense has been displaying ads concerning, well...you can see for yourself.

After writing about my contempt for a certain mode of transport and their users, the ads were all plugging the very object of my hatred--the height of irony. And now a deleted post about a right-wing radio talk show host and his illegal use of contraband is responsible for the current ads which give you a somewhat inaccurate idea of what this blog and I are about.

Things should be cleared up next week, when the bots again storm the html. Until then, thanks for reserving judgment.

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01 November 2006

A Democratic Ethiopia...?

Yesterday was the anniversary of the 2005 election violence in Ethiopia that, according to judge Wolde-Michael Meshesha, claimed the lives of some 193 people nationwide. The judge, who oversaw the investigation and exposed a government cover-up, has since fled the country.

The violence took place when civilians gathered in the capital, Addis Ababa, to protest the fraud-plagued national elections. Riot police were on hand to disperse the crowds. Some 160 people were shot, strangled and beaten to death in Addis Ababa alone. At least 40 of them were teenagers; think Kent State times ten.

At the center of all this is Ethiopia's veteran prime minister, Meles Zenawi. As the chairman of the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), Meles was a key figure in toppling the megalomaniac Mengistu Haile Mariam and his Marxist regime, the Derg. During its seventeen year rule (with the compulsory period of 'Red Terror'), the Derg became one of the world's foremost suspenders of haebus corpus--a policy, it should be noted, that the U.S. is currently pursuing.

In power since the coup of 1991, Meles has now ruled almost as long as his Stalinist predecessor. And like Mengistu--who is reported to have strangled Emperor Haile Selassie with his bare hands--Meles is given to violent repression of political dissent.

This propensity has only been accelerated by Ethiopia's sensitive security situation: the country faces ongoing tension with Eritrea over the borderlands in the north (which burst into war during the late 90's), cross border cattle-rustling with Kenya in the south, and its biggest threat--an undeclared war with Muslims in the east, a story as old as Ethiopia itself.

Indeed, the army's clashes with Somalis in the Ethiopia's Ogaden region have spilled over into Somalia, where it is widely believed that Ethiopia is fighting a proxy war with Eritrea, one of the chief supporters of the Union of Islamic Courts. The rapidly expanding UIC is alleged to have connections with Al Qaeda. With the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia being the Horn of Africa's worst-kept secret, the consensus in Addis Ababa is that Ethiopia is doing the United States' dirty work.


With Judge Meshesha still receiving death threats, hundreds of opposition leaders in jail, and Meles in his fifteenth year in power, one has to wonder whether the United States' shadowy dealings are ultimately in everyone's best interest. While the Union of Islamic Courts is no more democratic than the regime that went before it (also, it so happens, another cackhanded Marxist boondoggle), it is difficult to conceive what good can come from strengthening any anti-democratic government.

Could it be a decision between the lesser of two evils? Could it be a case of realpolitik on the ground? Or could it be because Ethiopia has been a Christian kingdom since time immemorial, an oasis in a hotbed of Islamic hostility?

Whatever the reasoning, the U.S. would do well to learn from its past dealings with African dictators. The Cold War encouraged a black-or-white foreign policy that kept the kleptocratic Mobutu in power long after his Zaire regime was tenable; the fallout from his reign included millions of lives, and a failed state that just barely has its act together. And anxieties over the ANC's ties to the Soviet Union (that's right kiddies--Nelson Mandela was a no-good commie!) gave Reagan cause to support the white supremacist government in South Africa long after the rest of the world called for majority rule.

If the U.S. is really serious about spreading the seeds of democracy, it needs to find a way to do so democratically. As we have learned from the 20th century experiments in fascism and communism, the end does not necessarily justify the means.

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The African Orphan Craze



ripped from Real Time with Bill Maher.

 

Ethiopia Perils

Here's a list of news that fills me with unflappable confidence:

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