‘We Are Everywhere’: How Ethiopia Became a Land of Prying Eyes

Over half of Ethiopians are Christians, more than Muslims, but they are next door to Somalia, a Muslim country with frequent jihadist attacks. It's understandable they need to be very vigilant. Maintaining stability is how they could manage to grow their weak economy. It is ironic that while American government officials always preach "see something say something" after each home-grown terrorist attack, this article is denouncing such tactics as authoritarian. The same is true in American murder capitals such as Chicago and Baltimore where the silent code against "SNITCHING" is hampering police effort to reduce senseless gun deaths. Until Americans wake up and watch their neighbors as they show signs of becoming a potential terrorist, and inform homeland security, be prepared for more random terrorist action using trucks and cars. "We Are Everywhere" is the only hope to prevent the next disaster.

Events in Ethiopia have gone past the report in the article. Fendika is now more the exception than the rule. People like Takele Alene are no longer safe in many parts of Oromia and in the Amhara highlands. They're being hunted as snitches and killed. Even worse, there is an ethnic war going on in parts of southern Ethiopia. Tens of thousands have been displaced and dislocated. There have also been killings by vigilante groups. No, Ms. Tamura, the government no longer has the control that you claim. It is fast losing control and it knows it. Actually, the government itself is fragmented, in disarray and divided. There is a real danger that the country might collapse and something even worse than Rwanda might happen. I hope Ethiopia can avoid the worst but we really should call a spade a spade.

Overpopulation, which the NYT never bothers to mention in their terrific articles on issues like climate change. Ethiopia's population has quadrupled in 50 years. Climate change portends more famines in that part of Africa. Mark my words, this won't end well.

Thanks for for an excellent reporting. This is the kind of "on the ground" journalism that provides objective information, untainted by bias or anger, that can help us Ethiopians in exile to reflect clearly why this government remains fundamentally opposed to democracy and freedom. It demonstrates also clearly why it has been able to maintain power for 26 long years, despite the fact that its ruling party, the TPLF, represents only 6% of the entire Ethiopian population. In essence, it adheres only to the divide and rule policy, because it is fully aware that it cannot survive if genuine democracy, free and fair elections were to be held. What all of us Ethiopians are terrified of is that such policy can lead to an internecine war the likes of which we have not experienced since the 18th and 19th century in Ethiopia.

...“You can’t trust your mother, brother, sister,” he said about his homeland. “You can imagine what kind of social fabric is formed out of such a system.”... --------- this is my wife's (hungarian ) memories of the communists in 1947-1956 . she left in 1957 . . .

A country must be managed by its government. If I go to rural Kansas I expect the US government to have a presence there in the form of the local government. What is in Ethiopia is exactly the same as in every other stable country. For a population of 100 million, it is crucial to have a stable country with neighbors like South Sudan and Somalia (Ethiopia has accepted hundreds of thousands of refugees from both countries). If you reject the US government and want to fight against it you will get a visit from the FBI and be labeled a domestic terrorist; it's no different in Ethiopia. If you go along with the system you can succeed. Also, Oromia has received the greatest amount of investment out of all regions. That is why they are protesting because people feel there is land grabbing. But what can I expect from ignorant stereotypical reporting by a person who cannot speak the local languages but is quick to paint a negative image?

Thank you for this article about Ethiopia, what a fascinating old country, and what a change to read some relatively good news from an African country, at least the working people have some peace and a stable government, and a growing economy, even though the government is a bit intrusive and they may have to drink home made beer out of a can.

That's how TPLF/EPRDF is holding power by creating spies. So many innocent people are languishing Ethiopian military prisons, specially in the Ogaden region.

Low-tech totalitarian Big Brother. This is bound to lead to bad things, even if it brings short- or medium-term economic "advance".

" Western-style liberalization...in the 1980s and 1990s hurt many economies across Africa, like Ghana and the Ivory Coast." The author of this report will have to explain how Western-style liberalization" hurt many economies across Africa or anywhere on earth. The comment is logically absurd, as liberalization (viz., greater freedom) has never hurt any nation's economy, unless the author is referring to the personal economies of the people who were profiting through state control before liberalization. Freedom has never hurt any one--ever. I am sure that economics, rightly understood, would show something other than greater freedom caused the economic harm the writer of this peice is referring to.

Sometimes, authoritative government control and policies can serve the needs of the populace particularly when seeking quick or dramatic changes. When that government uses it to systematically control individual behavior, squash dissent, pick winners and losers and doesn't fairly distribute resources then the government becomes a repressive regime.

When someone is pointing his gun at me "make peace" while he owns more land than anyone else else it seems pretty nuclear to me...

At least they don't have nuclear weapons.