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Horn of Africa Leftists

Horn of Africa Leftists

Horn of Africa Leftists

Discussing the Horn of Africa regions current events,political philosophy and social/cultural commentary from a Leftist perspective

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Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Horn of Africa Leftists episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Horn of Africa Leftists for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Horn of Africa Leftists episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Horn of Africa Leftists - How The Left Got Ethiopia Wrong Again Part 2
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11/29/21 • 68 min

"If we have shortcomings, we are not afraid to have them pointed out and criticized because we serve the people. Anyone, no matter who may point out our shortcomings. If he is right, we will correct them. If what he proposes will benefit the people, we will act upon it."-Mao

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These western leftists absolutely need to just keep it at imperialism and stay away from the internal politics of Ethiopia. Just being in pfdj promotes you to address the primary contradiction which is imperialism. But the lack of

acknowledgement of secondary contradictions by pfdj leads to a lack of understanding of an analysis on how the ruling class exploits these secondary contradictions to further their agenda. These secondary contradictions are weaponized to exasperate the primary contradiction. How tplf is using the plight of the oppressed nationalities to mask their elitist ideology. Ppl like Simon dismiss the oppressed as just tribalists. And it stops there for them, offering no validity to the oppressed masses who instead fall for tplf rhetoric that appears to be more in line with the oppressed. This alienates them like you said, and that’s a legitimate critique of the no more movement. This adds a lot of issues.

This also gives legitimacy to Abiy, who on top of being even having more neoliberal policies than tplf, has denied historical grievances of folks in Ethiopia and even in America, and like you said you can oppose and fight against imperialism without totally endorsing the other side. It shouldn’t stop at just primary contradiction.

While EPRP*(Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party) was actively resisting derg, they still aligned with dergs decisions to oust western puppet entities from Ethiopia.

An example of being principled and aligning on the right side w/o endorsing the other side

CRITICISM

You repeatedly state that Abiy started this war with TPLF,

contrary to TPLF's own words in which they state they launched a "pre-emptive strike" against multiple northern command bases on Nov 4th.

Just simply "having positions" doesn't really mean anything if it doesn't translate to material action. In my opinion, many on the left, save a few organizations, are failing to capture the moment of what is essentially a pan-African movement against neo-colonial designs.

https://blackallianceforpeace.com/principles-of-unity

What end is having a critique of the GOE while under attack by US backed forces supposed to contribute to the global movement?

Should the left not unite with the #NoMore movement against imperialism or should it?

Listening to this I hear a lot of strawmen. Nowhere in any of the breakthrough or black agenda report coverage of the war have I seen anyone praise Abiy as some kind of socialist anti-imperialist hero.Seems unfair to suggest that's their position when it isn't.

Also like...what? "Take away the TPLF?" This isn't materialist at all, seeing as the TPLF is a heavily armed belligerent and player in the current conflict.

This is an appeal to idealism in the middle of a war in which there will eventually be a victor and a vanquished.

Just wondering exactly what the endgame is here?

So people shouldn't be mobilizing against US supported regime change in Ethiopia because Abiy is a capitalist?

Should we take a "neither x or y" approach while a fascist proxy group continues its onslaught across the country?

POSITION

Examine why PFDJ or Eritrea are in alliance with Amhara region?is it right? The primacy of the class struggle over the national question is an issue

All-Ethiopia Socialist Movement(MEISON) vs EPRP*(Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Party)

However, there were some sticky political problems for both the TPLF and EPRP regarding Eritrea. While they recognized the struggle for the Eritrean independence as genuine, they had differences as to whether the case was a ‘colonial issue’ or not. Without conducting the necessary study or having appropriate discussions, the TPLF held the view that the Eritrean case was a ‘colonial question.’ as the EPLF wanted it to be.

It was probably an opportunistic stand , designed to outflank the EPRP from the privileged position the EPLF offering it.

Without understanding the consequences that were to haunt it in the discourse of Ethiopian political history, this position continued to be the stand of the TPLF for years to come.

Another area of difference was over Eritrea and the guerrilla struggle for independence there. EPRP showed much greater sympathy for the guerrillas, particularly for the more radical Eritrean Peoples’ Liberation Front (EPLF). Many early EPRP cadres were trained and armed by the EPLF, and the EPRP’s armed wing used EPLF-held areas as a base when it commenced armed struggle in the north. MEISON accepted the right of self-determination for the nationalities, including the right ...

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Horn of Africa Leftists - How The Left Got Ethiopia Wrong Again
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11/24/21 • 60 min

Important episode to consider what does principled anti-imperialist solidarity suppose to look like for the Horn of Africa with critical three points

1. Let's examine the left content creators and journalist position as being too pro Abiy/PP due to the sourcing info from the Abyssinian (Amhara region)/PFDJ alliance that is led to the creation of the new diaspora based #NoMore movement and current development...Why did they do this? Maybe the motivating factor is for social media traction/audience metrics/donations etc

You take away the TPLF you can see why the people and advisors or allies of Abiys are neoliberal and reason why is in alliance with them is they all share common ideology views on neoliberalism and overall Abyssainid views on what is Ethiopia and its future..

Including Berhanu Nega as education minister, in a speech to lawmakers on Wednesday. The others are Belete Molla, who comes in as innovation and technology minister and Kejela Merdassa as the head of the culture docket.

The Ethiopia’s far-right -ultra-unionist PM Dr Abiy Ahmed and his conspirator ally Professor Berhanu Nega’s parties- namely Exclusive Prosperity Party (EPP) and Ethiopian Citizens for Social Justice (ECSJ) are advocating Western liberal democracy and liberal economy as model capable of saving Ethiopia and its subjects.

Berhanu Nega wrote policy papers for the World Bank, which were later included in the Kinijit (CUDCoalition for Unity and Democracy) Manifesto

The Kinijit (CUD) Manifesto. Attached snippet calling for the implementation of free market liberal democracy

“[Mr Abiy] is extremely interested to see a strong private sector that can generate jobs for the millions of youths that are currently unemployed,” said Mr Abebe, 38, who worked at the World Bank before Mr Abiy asked him to join the commission.

“And I think that is consistent with the whole economic reform agenda. For so long economic growth has been fuelled by state investment and now the state should cede space to the private sector and play its natural arbiter role as a regulator,” he said.

https://www.ft.com/content/38c9e736-7e49-11e9-81d2-f785092ab560

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/apr/15/suspicion-and-fear-linger-as-ethiopia-campus-wars-go-quiet

Wed 15 Apr 2020 07.21 EDT

The government is now looking at alternative funding models, including student loans. “There should be some kind of co-financing from the private sector,” said Tassew Woldehanna, president of Addis Ababa University. “Students need to start paying.”

In January, the Minister of Higher Education suggested that free tuition was partly to blame for conflicts because it made it harder for universities to maintain the quality of education and housing for the roughly 200,000 new students enrolling each year. In 2000, Ethiopia had just two universities; now there are 45. It is one of the fastest expansions in higher education in the world, but without a concomitant rise in standards.

Abiy and Crrypto connection

Cardano is not new to Ethiopia, in 2018 the government signed a deal with Cardano to incorporate blockchain technology to the agritech industry. According to United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, since Ethiopia is a latecomer to:

Jack Dorsey vocalized his support of Project Mano, a group of Ethiopia-based entrepreneurs who want to get the Ethiopian government to consider mining and storing Bitcoin

I would like to thank @IMF & my dear sister @KGeorgieva for IMF’s extraordinary support of Ethiopia’s Home Grown Economic Reform Program amounting to USD 2.9 billion. Building on our past success, we have embarked on a new journey to set Ethiopia on a path to prosperity.

https://twitter.com/AbiyAhmedAli/status/1205152845818945536

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Horn of Africa Leftists - Who and What of Imperialism in Tigray,Ethiopia
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03/22/21 • 55 min

For this episode, we will discuss the latest development in Ethiopia and Tigray region by giving historical context and political background as there is a serious social media campaign being waged with a lot of emotions and strong narrative which can be confusing and alarming if you don't have proper analysis--before we start on the historical background on the conflict I want to make the following points

As I mentioned on the BAR interview Eritrea is being set up, TPLF is an agent of imperialism and Washington wants Ethiopia back to being a compliant client state despite Abiy being a willing client of Washington--

The latest development is an ideological test for leftist and how discipline people are too strong emotional propaganda online as we have seen casualties of it already from the Bobi Wine situation in failure to recognize imperialism co-optations in which Bobi Bobi and the campaign around him as an opposition and power struggle----Just like Museveni and Bobi Wine --this is Abiy vs TPLF saying that its important to highlight that Abiy Ahmed no saint as he has pro-neoliberal beliefs and is an Abisyaini-zed Oromo which is hostile to non-Abyssinian nationalism in the south also the Eritrean revolution plus the Ethiopian Defense Force does not have a clean track record in other regions and just like Museveni he is a willing client leader but certain quarters in Washington have sympathy for the opposition in this current power struggle

Second, when examining western media coverage ..it's important to point to the issue of how the attention in the north vs the south why western media outlets amplify only the north and not the south actual history of genocide in which there were serious genocide in various regions the last 28 years under TPLF --what's happening in Tigray is serious and the people are caught in a situation of internal power struggle and the interests of Washington which certain circles in the white house have a personal relationship with the TPLF leadership core

As a materialist, we must examine and emphasize the role of history through the economic lense and the role of the ruling class-- ---what is the role of colonialism and imperialism on the latest development and the past..--


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Horn of Africa Leftists - Introduction Episode

Introduction Episode

Horn of Africa Leftists

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11/12/20 • 9 min

Horn of Africa Leftists

My name is Filmon Zerai and this Horn of Africa Leftist intro episode

I will explain what listeners should expect and the aim of the podcast overall

This podcast comes out of a need to fill a missing void with the current discourse online and overall how the social/political commentary is consumed and understood with regards to the Horn of Africa the region and each state

This podcast also comes after realizing this observation on the state of the diaspora and overall the region political consciousness

We see in the diaspora many academics who study radical/commie social movements or philosophy but their politics is liberal and does not radicalize them.

We see people who have bio line that say that are Marxist, Achacist or Sickle & Hammer with stereotypical Communist aesthetics who do this but their understanding of the Horn of Africa is liberal and echoes the imperialist line.

We see people who claim to be reading these radical books but when it comes to their politics in the Horn its reactionary and echoes the State Department line or have affiliation with Human RIghts Watch, Amnesty International, and the usual NED funded activist online.

This podcast aims to challenge people to move away from liberal politics and push political consciousness to the left.

Here are two key question people probably have about the title of the podcast:

What does the Horn of Africa mean? The Horn of Africa is a geopolitical term but a term that is slowly growing trend to describe the various nationalities of the region & its a catch-all term to unify all the people beyond the creation of the nation-states in the region

What does the Leftist term mean? The term leftist often has had its political baggage and its associated with liberals and even conservative elements and its usage and how the average person understands it has been confusing--So to clear it up,

the leftist term, in this case, does not mean Democrats party or Labor in the UK but more so a catch-all term for people who are socialists, communist or Anarchist whether they are Marxist, Maoist or Stalinist--

So the point here is not shifting toward reformist ideological line or liberalism but move beyond sectarian labels of "i'm a Marxist","Maoist"

I understand the criticism of the term "leftist" as its association in the first world especially American politics is what people like the DSA or those Bernie Sanders supporters who are not socialist

but claim to be Marxist and still practice liberalism while aiming to preserve their first world privilege via imperialism and the exploitation of the third world.

This podcast is not that type of "leftist" but this podcast is focused on leftist perspective and philosophy that pulls from the Black Radical Tradition,Pan Africanist theorist and overall the struggle of the third world.

I noticed there is not that much leftist commentary that is focused on the Horn of Africa region as a whole and one that is class focus and internationalist.

The social and political commentaries and analysis of the region and also the diaspora is through the limited scope of liberalism that is not

collectively focused or does not challenge the status quo beyond imported neoliberal political and economic prescription.

The Horn of Africa Leftist offers a unique podcast to examine issues impacting the region's current events but also discuss the development in the diaspora.

You should expect each episode to be no more than 1 hour or less and will have guests with various backgrounds aswell.

This is also an opportunity for the global left to understand the Horn of Africa from the left and unlearn and be challenged.

Thanks!


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Recorded before TPLF capturing of Mekelle and ENDF withdrawal

Discussed the election in Ethiopia plus Examining latest statement by HOA PALS and reactions http://hoapals.org/the-ongoing-war-in-tigray-ethiopia/


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How the late 1800s crated Ethiopian mythology is a counter-ideological resistance to the Haitian Revolution

Haitian Revolution from 1791-1804 vs Abyssinia Adwa in 1896

The Haitian revolution put fear & nightmare in European colonial powers not Abyssinia

Ask yourself why was Haiti penalize after its revolution & trapped into debts to the French for decades while Abysinnia after Battle of Adwa got support in nation building from European powers?

I always said the Haitian revolution should have been the only symbol of black resistance from the 1800s for the Black diaspora & Africa not Abyssinia

Haiti is a narrative of slaves revolting

Abysinnia is a feudal monarch who enrich themselves from slavery in 1800s

Ethiopia is a creation of European colonialism & Battle of Adwa was a proxy war between France & Britain

Hati was the real deal not Abyssinia

Truly a black nation & an African resistance realized

Haiti narrative is not centered compared to the promotion of Ethiopia and there is a reason for it

The Haitian Revolution has often been described as the largest and most successful slave rebellion in the Western Hemisphere. Slaves initiated the rebellion in 1791 and by 1803 they had succeeded in ending not just slavery but French control over the colony.

Haiti had a history of slave rebellions;there were slave rebellions before 1791. poisoning of masters.

Before the fighting ended 100,000 of the 500,000 Africans and 24,000 of the 40,000 whites were killed.

former slaves managed to stave off both the French forces and the British who arrived in 1793 to conquer the colony, and who withdrew in 1798 after a series of defeats by l’Overture’s forces.

By 1801 Hait abolished slavery

Haitian Revolution had outlasted the French Revolution which ....Napoleon Bonaparte, dispatched 43,000 French troops to capture restore both French rule and slavery. on November 18, 1803the French forces were defeated. On January 1, 1804, Dessalines declared the nation independent and renamed it Haiti. France became the first nation to recognize its independence. Haiti thus emerged as the first black republic in the world, and the second nation in the western hemisphere (after the United States) to win its independence from a European power.

The war on Haiti never ended after 1804 but continued in various forms via intervention, coup attempts and continues the management of the Haitian state by disregarding the people demands--compared that with Ethiopia in which from the beggin Europe help create Ethiopia and turn into the first African neo-colonial state with Abyssian as their local administrators and mangaers..Below is the counter narrrative that challanges the mytoolgy around Battle of Adwa being the symbol of restiance

Mekuria Bulcha, PhD, Professor

The circumstances, under which the peoples of the south, such as the Oromo, who were conquered in the 1880s, and the Walaita, who were conquered by Menelik two years before the battle of Adwa, were made to march north and participate in the Battle of Adwa must be noted

It was after Adwa that Menelik imposed the notorious gabbar system on the conquered south. Slavery and the slave trade became even more rampant thereafter with the conquest of the rest of the south and southwest which became hunting grounds for captives and ivory.[29] Ironically, it was the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1936 which brought the outrageous institution and evil trade in human beings to an end.

“The united country called Ethiopia, which according to Larebo and Borago existed centuries before Adwa, is a myth. The fact is that when he turned north to meet the Italians at Adwa, Menelik was in the midst of the conquest of the south. The entire Macha region – the Gibe and Leeqa states – was annexed only in 1886. Arsi was conquered in 1886 and Hararge in 1887. As indicated above, Walaita was conquered in 1894. The sores inflicted by the atrocities committed against the Oromo at Anole and Calanqoo in 1886 and 1887 by the conquering Abyssinian forces were still bleeding. Even Wallo’s conquest in the north was completed in 1878 after years of fierce battles between Menelik (then King of Shawa) and Emperor Yohannes IV on one side and the Wallo Oromo on the other. “

“. While the Abyssinians were defending their freedom, the Oromo had no freedom to defend against the Italians. They had lost it to the Abyssinians during the preceding decade. Their land was an Abyssinian colony. The “contribution” they were forced t...

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Horn of Africa Leftists - Tigray and Coverage from Progressive/Leftist media
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06/22/21 • 59 min

Examining Tigray and lack of coverage from progressive/leftist media with Sebs https://twitter.com/RedSeaCactus


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On this episode, we discuss the latest updates on Ethiopia and Sebs research on via "Blockchain Technology & Coercive Surveillance of the Global South" https://solartsunami.medium.com/blockchain-technology-coercive-surveillance-of-the-global-south-bec05246e749

Sebs on Twitter https://twitter.com/RedSeaCactus

Cryptocurrency Is About Data-Mining Not Economic Liberation w Sebs Solomon via Black Power Media https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoZIDO5VBZk

Jackson Palmer Tweets

https://twitter.com/ummjackson/status/1415353984617914370

From Eritrea to Bolivia: Who Supported the Washington Backed Coup?

https://hoodcommunist.org/2020/12/24/from-eritrea-to-bolivia-who-supported-the-washington-backed-coup/

The Human Rights Foundation Connection to Bitcoin and Meron Estafnos

Oslo Freedom Forum (@OsloFF and Bitcoin

https://twitter.com/gladstein/status/1405216053215461379

https://hrf.org/speakers/meron-estefanos/

https://twitter.com/AnitaPosch/status/1408047323503075334


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Horn of Africa Leftists - Why Somalia is Ignored and Misunderstood by the Left Now?
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12/27/21 • 70 min

Somali freelance journalist Mohamed joins this episode for a critical focus on Somalia

http://halganmedia.net/

https://twitter.com/Free_Somaliweyn

Can you explain your take on the anti-colonial history of Somalis against various colonial power and how that shaped Somali nationalism from then to now?

How do you feel about the influence of Saudi Arabia and sponsorship of the Whabbist/Salafist line in Somalia as a counter against Somalia nationalists aligned with egalitarian or socialist Islam tendencies?

What is your view on the history of Ogaden and the Somali region in Ethiopia?

How do you view Turkish/NATO presence in Somalia?

How do you view the question of Somaliland and the current efforts to instigate tension by London/Washington via Taiwan vs China?

Can you explain the events that led to rise of the ICU to crush warlords in Somalia prior 2007?

Why do you feel Eritrean and Somalis are closer when recognizing the danger of Abyssinia Fundamentalism?

How do you feel about federalism vs centralized state in Somalia and the role of Melez Zenawi to create that 4-1 clan system of model?

Your view of the TPLF role in the 90s era in prolonging anarchy and war lors

Do you feel Somalia is ignored by the left in media spaces in comparison to Ethiopia? Both Somalia and Eritrea were sanctioned the last 18 years but we didnt see that focus but now Ethiopia is the focus.


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Horn of Africa Leftists - Understanding The Sudanese Revolution
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01/24/22 • 72 min

Uprising: forces, structures, and possibilities

Mahder is currently a PHD student in Political Science

Research on the 2019/2020 uprising plus local resistance committee and tea seller unions by engaging Sudanese scholar and activists

Historical points and questions.

On February 12, 1952, Egypt and Britain

How do you view the issue of Nubians and their struggle in both states? Where do the Nubians fit into the narrative of Pan-Africanism and the National Question? Are they an oppressed nation within nation-states?

What was the position of the Sudanese Communist Party in regards to South Sudanese grievances during the early years?

It seems Sudan still has active labor unions that impacted and shaped the protest in Sudan. Why do you think the western press ignores that or mis-characterizes the class dynamic of the Sudanese protest and anti-neoliberal narrative? Or have you noticed that?

What is the communist view on Pan-Africanism and Pan-Arabism? What is your view on Sudan being viewed as an Arab state and anti-African racism?

Jaafar Nimeiry 1969-1985--was supported a socialist branch Sudanese Socialist Union

falling out with the Communist party---first person who installed the Sharia law


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FAQ

How many episodes does Horn of Africa Leftists have?

Horn of Africa Leftists currently has 15 episodes available.

What topics does Horn of Africa Leftists cover?

The podcast is about News, News Commentary, Podcasts and Politics.

What is the most popular episode on Horn of Africa Leftists?

The episode title 'How The Left Got Ethiopia Wrong Again Part 2' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on Horn of Africa Leftists?

The average episode length on Horn of Africa Leftists is 63 minutes.

How often are episodes of Horn of Africa Leftists released?

Episodes of Horn of Africa Leftists are typically released every 28 days, 12 hours.

When was the first episode of Horn of Africa Leftists?

The first episode of Horn of Africa Leftists was released on Nov 12, 2020.

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