Ethiopiques
Why does a country with her own unique alphabet and long history of writing persist to deny citizens the right to freedom of expression in this era of Expression? No other country in Africa may typify this paradox more than Ethiopia. As Leopold Senghor's famous collection of poems entitled "Ethiopiques" remained 'powerful and popular' so does the source of his intriguing title, Ethiopia, in her own ways. In "Ethiopiques", I share Ethiopian views on pertinent issues related to journalism, culture and, of course, the overarching subject of politics.
Mesfin Negash is an Ethiopian journalist living in exile in Sweden. He is one of the journalists accused of "terrorism" in 2011 by the Ethiopian government. The co-founder and first editor-in-chief of an acclaimed Ethiopian newspaper, Addis Neger, he is currently the Managing Editor of Addisnegeronline.com. He is a political science student by training and known for his critical commentaries on significant political and social issues.
  • Shelves in Exile
    by  / October 30, 2014

    Each book on exiled shelves has a story besides the one between its covers: who bought it, and where, and when, and how it arrived in its current country.

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  • Writing from Prison
    by  / September 25, 2014

    Despite the number of political prisoners in my country, we know very little about letters or poems written in Ethiopia’s prisons, as very few of them are published.

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Fearless, Ink.