THE RASTAFARI COLLECTIVE--DECEMBER ARCHIVES

The RastafarI Collective: An Interactive Paper Made by InI The People, For InI The People. "...learning only stops at the grave." H.I.M EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I THE FIRST

Sunday, November 26, 2000 to Saturday, December 2, 2000 Volume 1, No. 1 WEEKLY EDITION

THIS WEEK'S FEATURE STORIES

China escapes sanctions, Iran & Pakistan not so fortunate

The U.S. waved sanctions on China for selling missile technology to Iran & Pakistan.  The Chinese government were found to have sold category 1 & 2 missile technology to these countries.  The problem is both countries have had sanctions on them for many years.  It becomes very strange that China who sold to both countries suffers no penalty, in accordance that Beijing promised that it would not do such actions again.  Is this because of the trade arrangements being worked out for China entering the global market?  As a note, Philip Morris is one company seeking trade with China with the prospect of having a billion new smokers.

Gum Arabic Sudan

Recently, U.S. legislation was passed unanimously by all representatives, (Democrat & Republican) including the Black Caucus for a $20 million trade with Sudan. For those not familiar, there is a dreadful problem in the country with human beings becoming enslaved as well as being killed and maimed.  This is due to political as well as religious reasons.  A main product of the country is gum arabic,which by this legislation, three U.S. companies are allowed to retain this product even though there are sanctions against the country. Gum arabic is used in many products ranging from juices, candy, cosmetics, and medicines, to name a few.  A Black journalist by the name of Joe Madison was in Sudan recently and when he was asked what were the Black Americans going to do about the situation, he tried to explain that most were not aware of the tragic situation.  In which he was told, "We thought that Black Americans were so educated."  He in turn felt very embarrassed to give a response and made it his duty to raise awareness of the situation. Also, for those reggae fans, Buju Banton on his latest album, has a track named "Sudan."

Rome fights against McDonalds

It has been reported that Bishops in the Vatican have been campaigning against the fast food giant, McDonalds.  Their complaint is that its taking away the peoples understanding about the value of food as well as the religious concept of eating together as a family.  So the Bishops are setting out to condemn the hamburger.  In Rome, when the first McDonalds opened, they said that it would never last because people were not interested.  Now, 247 McDonalds later, the Bishops are saying that this Protestant ideal is destroying the way of life as it was known. Some people who were asked about this idea of condemning the hamburger stated, "The Bishop should not speak because many of them are overweight themselves while they should be out there helping the poor."

FBI Investigates Voter Ballot Tampering

The London Times reported that the FBI will be investigating ballot fraud in Miami, Fla.  There are accusations that ballots given to Black voters were pre-punched for the Bush camp.  So when the Blacks went to vote, they would vote for Gore and the ballot would be cancelled out for double voting.  Also, for those who never showed up to vote, would have a vote for Bush.  It is a tragedy to know that with all the Black people who suffered for the "right to vote," that in this time Black people would still have to suffer such great tribulations. Then in 2007, they will still have to beg for the right to vote, for the "Voter Rights Act" is up for renewal.  After 500 years, Black Americans have to still worry about securing their natural birthright in this country.  Still the question is, "Will Black people in America ever receive what is rightfully theirs or should they give it up and go HOME to their true birthplace?"

The "reburial of the remains" of the KING

During the weekend of Nov. 5, the reburial of the so called remains of H.I.M HAILE SELASSIE I THE FIRST was conducted by a royalist group in Ethiopia. The event was attended by Rita Marley, members of the Twelve Tribes, as well as the Orthodox Church. There are still many of the Rastafari faith who totally reject this funeral and see it as another way of fighting against their faith. For some Ethiopians, they see this as a way for the country to move forward, being that they have never gotten past this part of their history.  Especially after the previous brutal government that has led Ethiopia into pure chaos.

Africans at Home, Upset with Million Family March

The Wife of President Taylor of Liberia, was a guest speaker at the Million Family March held recently in Washington, DC.  Many Africans at home are very upset that of all the African leaders to choose from, they would pick a leadership that is accused of many human rights violations.  They are taking it as an insult and are wondering if this is the attitude of Blacks here in the West that brutal leadership is what they are willing to support.

The Miami Banquet Held  with Mutabaruka

Saturday night, November 18, 2000, a banquet  was held by RastafarI brethrens and sistrens of the Bobo Shanti in Miami. It is being hailed as the function that would be spoken about for months to come.  There were many controversial topics touched by Brother Muta, that had some cheering and some railing.  He spoke on technology, the Bible, RastafarI, humanity, and his travels to Israel as well as other countries.  From what was said, he left many with food for thought.  It is just hope that many will really sit down, penetrate, pick sense from nonsense and find the truth in it for themselves.  We hope to bring you full accounts of the banquet in the upcoming issue.

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The RastafarI Collective: An Interactive Paper Made by InI The People, For InI The People. "...learning only stops at the grave." H.I.M EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I THE FIRST

Sunday, December 3, 2000 to Saturday, December 9, 2000 Volume 1, No. 2 WEEKLY EDITION

THIS WEEK'S FEATURE STORIES

Maryland: Fight over monument on courthouse lawn.

Bowling Green, MD--A new monument of Gabriel's insurrection is being considered to be placed on the courthouse lawn.  This idea is bringing a host of protests from many residents in the county because of the history the monument will tell.  Gabriel's insurrection was a slave revolt planned and carried out.  The plan was to burn plantations and to kill the slave masters in the county.  Many in the county believe that this type of history can bring ill feelings in the area as well as not giving any productive history for the people in this time.  Advocates of the monument say that rebellions are a part of ANY nation's history, especially in America.  The question that should be asked:  Is the problem with rebellion or a SLAVE rebellion where it is black people fighting against white slavemasters?  This controversy shows that certain forces still choose to deny a full telling of history from all perspectives, even the parts which may be less than glorious.

Galapagos Islands:  Tortoises being held hostage!

It has been reported that local fishermen have revolted and taken over Isabella, the largest of the Galapagos Islands.  The islands are located 600 miles West of Ecuador, South America.  The fishermen are frustrated because they are being limited on how many lobsters they can catch in a season, as well as other types of fish.  With the strong policies placed against them, they decided to take action.  First, by taking over the island and chasing the Director and Park Rangers off the island.  They then took over the Director of the Islands' home and burned all of his possessions.  The icing on the cake is, they held endangered tortoises on the island hostage by threatening to cut their throats if any attempt was made to stop the rebellion.  The government of Ecuador has yet to get involved because of certain political ties, as well as trying to avoid worldwide publicity, for the islands are a major tourist attraction.  Remember these islands are where Charles Darwin claimed to explore and gain his evolution theory and where most conservationists are fighting to keep the islands in its natural state, as it has been for thousands of years.

Jamaica:  There is a problem!  sent by LS

See some really sad information below. What Jamaica (and other Caribbean islands) has come to is no doubt as a result of all the Jamaican born (and American raised) criminals who have been deported to Jamaica after leaving American jails.  These people who happened to have been born in Jamaica, grew up for most of their lives in the U.S. and learned all their hardened criminal activities right here in good 'ole USA - only to be landed in Jamaica with no place to go, nothing to do and no place to live. What would any criminal do under those circumstances? What comes naturally - crime! They have now become the ever-popular 'Dons' that exist now in Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad as well... Well, sorry to break the good moods, but here's the low down on what's been going on here in Ja for the past month which does not give a pretty good picture. For the background, Jamaica is in the middle of the biggest crime wave it has ever seen, is rated as the 3rd highest murder rate in the world, with 700 murders (does not include domestic murders or suicides) since the start of the year, 88 which are female (ie - eight women murdered each month), 6 prison breakouts since the start of the year, including the largest - 44 from the Maximum security prison, an alleged (by the police commissioner) 1,200 illegal firearms on the street, and also a $400 million a year protection racket in Kingston, daring daylight robberies all over Kingston, car Jackings everywhere, and gruesome murders and kidnappings. In addition to the various sieges in Mountain View, where the police and soldiers are pinned down for the most 5 days, happening twice, shutting off all access to the airport (They have now built a bypass called the Michael Manley Highway), massive unemployment of some 28% and climbing, and 65% of the population seeking to migrate. So just recently the Private sector led by Butch Stewart called on the Government to deal effectively with the crime and started placing full page ads in the newspapers for days, asking the Government to come up with a plan to fight the crime wave sweeping the city or resign. The PM cut short his vacation in Europe to come back to Jamaica and met with the various business leaders to calm their fears and announce a new crime fighting team, headed by the auspicious Acting Assistant Superintendent Renato Valentino DeCordova Adams, our best crime fighter who will command a crime suppression unit which will have all the resources available to them to fight crime in Kingston, and to be headquartered at 62 Lady Musgrave Road (The old Ombudsman's house, opposite the back gate of Vale Royal on the corner of Hopefield and Lady Musgrave, much more to be said about this location). Meanwhile, prominent business people where being killed everyday. A prominent gas station operator, was kidnapped in Stony Hill and then subsequently chopped up and buried. Then prominent operator of photo studios Vincent Pugh, was shot in his Norbrook home after driving in at 3:00pm. Then wholesaler Peter Shim was shot in front of his three year old daughter after arriving home at 1:30pm, and then a Sri Lankan who lives on Richings Crescent (above Hollywood) who is the Financial Controller for KFC was shot 9 times in the head at the stoplights by the Canadian High Commission at 7:30pm on the way home.And that's just 10% percent of the prominent business persons and others murdered in the past four weeks across the island. This past summer I've heard of eight (8) incidents where teenage girls are car jacked, kidnapped and most times raped. Now on top of this two months ago there was a US$1 Billion Cocaine shipment from Colombia on it's way to the Bahamas and the USA. A very very high ranking Police Officer was paid US$2 Million to assure safe passage through Jamaica. DEA and Bahamas authorities tipped off Jamaican authorities who were investigating it and the High ranking Police officer found out about this and moved all the Cocaine (some 600 Kilograms I believe). There was a witness involved in this who was being kept under the witness protection program. The high ranking police found out the witnesses whereabouts and passed all this info onto the hitmen. So now back to 62 Lady Musgrave Road. Back in September 1999 the Police Commissioner set up a covert intelligence organisation there; being called now the Civilian Intelligence Organisation, headed by a former JDF Military Intelligence Officer Mr Roderick McGregor, who was dismissed by the JDF some years ago over some murder allegations, and apparently was then defended by the now Minister of Security KD Knight. His assistant was a former Coast Guard Officer who was dismissed from the CG over some missing Cocaine. This intelligence unit was apparently given a mandate by the Police commissioner to gather intelligence on guns and drugs by the area dons, and reported directly to the Commissioner. The public began to hear rumours of their operation in August 2000. Now fast forward to last week Sunday (October 15), with the headlines that the Prime Ministers phone, two Cabinet ministers, some area dons, and the Deputy Commissioner of police Clooney (the number 2 policeman in the country), have had their phones all wiretapped, and the public begins to hear a tale of over twelve tapes of conversation between people talking about killings and drugs, and many other stuff, but still no evidence actually shown up. What happened was a Corporal who was promoted and appointed to work with the Intelligence unit had become disgusted with what was being carried out and secretly went and gave sworn statements detailing the operation of the unit, highlighting wiretaps on various people including Philip Paulwell, Minister of Commerce and Technology, Peter Phillips, Minister of Transport, and DCP Clooney and his wife. Also lots of high tech equipment and eight tape recorders simultaneously taping conversations, and a contact number in Portmore for a Cable and Wireless employee who kept and maintained the wiretapping equipment for them. Also conversations between a politician and an area Don, saying how "You should a neva kill de bwoy" and "Me girl a carry de drugs a New York", and much more which could not be said on the media for fear of libel. Amongst all of this the public starts to hear of a rift in the police force, primarily between the Commissioner of Police, Francis Forbes, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police Clooney, who are not on speaking terms, especially as the DCP finds out about the wiretap on him. He confronts the Commissioner who informs him that he is under investigation, presumably for breaches in the Witness Protection Program. The rumours start to fly and the Minister of Security Knight, has to call them aside and tell them to 'cool it', however this does not work, and we hear of a meeting between the Commish and the DCP in the back of a car where the Comish shows him a file he has on him, and the DCP in turn shows the Comish that he has a file on him also. The Comish has assigned Assistant Commissioner of Police Walcott Brown to investigate the DCP. There are many statements which the Commish said were handed to the DCP and then handed back, the DCP says he never got them. The Commish's computer was broken into and statements removed. The Commish beefs up his security team because he is "in fear for his life". In perspective : The Commissioner of Police, Forbes, who has problems with Minister of Security KD Knight. Deputy Commissioner of Police Clooney, the number two person who's portfolio is to investigate police corruption and police shootings. Assistant Commissioner of Police Walcott Brown, one of three top three cops who's portfolio is to investigate illegal drugs and guns, is now commanded to investigate superior who is in charge of  investigating corruption.  Now this investigation has apparently being going on since August this year, and was to end yesterday (Thursday Oct 19th) with the interview of two key witnesses by ACP Brown. Well, as things would have it Wednesday night at 7:30pm ACP Brown is attacked by three gunmen when he arrives at his home in Liguanea (by Sovereign) and after a shootout is shot in both arms, but is still alive. On that same avenue that ACP Brown resides, a man was robbed and shot a week before and just young girls have been kidnapped and raped. Amidst all of this the Prime Minister and the Minister of Security are out of the country and everyone is very very quiet, not one PNP person is willing to even make a comment on this issue for fear of the facts.  The belief is that country is in the middle or at the end of it's greatest crisis ever, a story of a corrupt government being held hostage by Colombian drug smugglers and a Mr McGregor who fled the country Monday October 16th on the first Air Jamaica flight to Miami, in his possession - tapes of conversations of government members and others which could bring down the entire Government. It has been quite the week, no one dares travel at night, I chain up my gate once I'm home. But that still offers no protection, just last week a friend of mine and his mother where attacked by gunmen and shot at five times on Waterloo Road at there front gate 7:30 pm. On saturday night I got home to see a lot of "blue flashing lights by one of my neighbor's houses 3:30 am" , somebody was trying to break into their house. Helicopters are everywhere in Kingston. There are three leading theories for the crime wave now, Opposition parties trying to strike fear into the middle class, the upiquitious Colombian drug connection, and rogue security companies trying to drum up business.

Reflections on the H.I.M Emperor Haile Selassie I FROM "THE ADDIS TRIBUNE" sent by Jahpaint

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Reflection on the late Emperor Sir, I am an avid reader of your internet site here in the United States. I must applaud you for your wonderful efforts in providing us Ethiopians in the diaspora with a source of reliable news and current affairs of our homeland. I am writing you today in response to your request for reflections on the late emperor of Ethiopia, His Majesty Atse Haile Selassie. Recently the government released a scathing statement on the late Emperor. Others in and outside the country, over the years, have also had lots of denigrating and detracting statements to say about the late Emperor, in the government and in the opposition as well. The statements have ranged from attacks on the institution of the monarchy, to denigrations of his achievements as the leader of Ethiopia from 1917 to 1974, to personal attacks on his character. Here is my perhaps irrelevant opinion. As far as the monarchy goes, all will agree that the absolute form of the monarchy is indeed outdated and gone for good. The arguments against the autocracy of this form of monarchy are legitimate. In this modern age when people are more politically and socially aware, an absolute monarchy is not in their interests. Although some may disagree with me, there is something to be said however for a constitutional monarchy in a country as ancient as Ethiopia, with its many ethnic, religious and linguistic groups, as a symbol of unity. This is a legitimate issue however and I have no problem with arguments against or for a constitutional form of monarchy. These are issues with the institution and not with the man, so I have little to say here. As far as the emperor himself is concerned, there are attacks on his record as head of state. In short he is often judged by the standards of the times at the end of his reign, the late 1960's early 1970's in the Gregorian calendar. It would be fairer to judge him based on the standards of the times he was born into and grew up in, the standards that he more than anyone else changed, the standards of 1892 to 1930. When Lij Tefferi Makonnen was born, Ethiopia was landlocked, there were no modern schools, only church and mosque schools, no hospitals other than the Russian medical mission that would arrive a few years later, no paved roads, no railway, and all our neighbors were ruled by European colonialists. The provinces were ruled by regional nobles and chiefs who ran them as personal property and even had their own armies. Literacy was confined to the clergy and a few of nobles and others, even among the highest officials in the land, literacy was not automatic. As Crown Prince and then Emperor, Haile Selassie not only built schools and hospitals and roads, but he abolished slavery, he brought Ethiopia into the family of nations by joining first the League of Nations, then the United Nations. Addis Ababa eventually became the diplomatic capital of Africa as the seat of the OAU and the ECA. He stripped the regional rulers of their armies, and he set up modern administrative structures where birth into a particular family, or military strength was not the primary qualification for governorship of districts. He also educated large numbers of young Ethiopians on Imperial scholarships in Europe and America so we have him to thank for virtually our entire educated class. He visited schools regularly and handed out gifts to encourage education, and he opened Ethiopia's first modern University. He pleaded on her behalf to the League of Nations when she was subjugated by Mussolini, and his cry for help is to this day hailed as one of the great speeches of all time (one that he gave in Amharic out of pride in his country, even though his French, the language of diplomacy in those days, was very good). He endured 5 years of exile, which contrary to many modern accusations, was far from comfortable. He was in such financial problems that his younger sons were pulled out of school for a while, and his neighbors took such pity on his plight that they anonymously provided him with the coal to heat his house in the bitter English winter. After the restoration, he built up Ethiopia's armed forces to defend her against invasion that had happened to her again and again. Although it had its limits and failures, he gave Ethiopia her first written constitution in 1931(Gregorian calendar) which clearly enshrined the rule of law, and a revised one in 1955. He further developed a modern financial system begun under his predecessors. He raised to the highest positions in the Empire, people of humble birth, non-aristocrats, who served in a well qualified cabinet and in the ministries. Prime minister Aklilu Haptewold is a prime example of this. There were many others. He brought Eritrea back into the Empire, providing the interior with an outlet to the sea, and reunification for people separated by colonialism. Internationally he was a respected and admired leader that added luster to the image of Ethiopia. To the critics who say he ruled too long, that he should have abdicated the throne in favor of his more liberal Crown Prince, or one of his grandchildren, and gone into an honored retirement, the answer is simple. Atse Haile Selassie was an anointed monarch who took an oath on the Bible at his coronation, to uphold his office and defend his people till his death. To abdicate it would have violated his oath, and was against the very nature of the Ethiopian monarchy. Can we hold it against him that his life was so long? The distribution of land in Ethiopia was very far from fair. However, the Emperor can be assigned only part of the blame for not changing that situation. The parliament was full of landowners, and the largest landowner of all was the Orthodox Church. Powerful elements of society were against it, and even an Emperor knows not to offend certain quarters, with Tewodros and Lij Eyasu as examples of ones who pushed too hard against the church and the nobility. Besides, the prevalent theory of development in those days was industrialization at the expense of agriculture, so the government focused more on developing the cities, and encouraged people to move to the cities to help fuel rapid industrialization. It probably was not a wise move for a country like Ethiopia which is periodically a victim of famine, which the government found out the hard way. The saddest charge perhaps is the one thrown at him by the Derg and has been taken up by the current government as well. It is the insult of "thief". The charge being leveled on a person who has died makes one recoil. However, if one looks at the charge itself it sounds increasingly hollow. Where is this stolen money, how much is it (the figure thrown about by the Derg in its early years was so impossibly huge that even they stopped using it), and why has it taken so long to recover. Does this stolen fortune really exist? What accounts was it stolen from? Where is the paper trail? Who has possession of it now? If this is all true then why haven't hard facts ever been presented to the public? It raises many questions. I was a small boy when the emperor was deposed by the Derg, yet I have a distinct memory of him. It was the anniversary of his coronation, probably in 1972 or so, and I remember standing on a balcony in Piazza with my grandfather as the emperor was driven past in his open car, wearing his lion's mane hat and glittering with medals. My grandfather bowed deeply as the monarch passed and the crowds ulultated and bowed. It impressed me greatly at the time, but now after so many years it impresses me even more. The people were ulultating and bowing to a man who showed himself to his people, who passed them slowly and acknowledged their bows and cheers with little bows of his own. He was the emperor, king of kings, an absolute monarch, and the people were his subjects, yet he was not afraid of his people. They could approach him with petitions, or just to bow and say hello. Indeed it was their traditional right and his traditional responsibility to allow this. Later leaders have lived hidden behind immense walls and are whisked through streets cleared of the population, even though they have proclaimed "equality" and the people are citizens of a republic now. It is a huge irony. This is my personal reflection on Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia. Solomon Kibriye

Take a Higher Look at Ethiopia From "The Addis Tribune" sent by Jahpaint

Take a Higher Look at Ethiopia Sir, Thank you for this opportunity to express my feelings about the article written by Indrias Getachew regarding the "Burial of Haile Selassie". I am an African born and raised in California and I have a deep connection with Africa, Ethiopia, in short my views are PanAfricanist. I have never been to Ethiopia yet I plan to visit very soon. My contact with Ethiopians has been purely the Ethiopians that I meet in the USA and as with most people it's difficult to get a clear picture of a people and their culture when they've come making so many sacrifices and such to be here and of course assimilating into American society, etc. For the most part the Ethiopians that I meet are amiable and open to conversation. I've asked many people of their views about Haile Selassie, and, Of course, its very mixed-many people loved him, many mistrusted him, but ultimately I gather that most people admit they don't Know so much about him to tell me. So I am wondering. How could one of the oldest monarchies being sanctified by the oldest religious institution on the face of this earth, end so abruptly? Why do Ethiopians take this history so lightly? Wasn't Haile Selassie a direct decendant of Solomon and Sheba?( ref. to family tree). What does that really mean to Ethiopia? To the world? Isn't this biblical as well? I am here in America wondering all of this because I see Ethiopians "lost" here in America struggling for this American dream that has no real substance (unless you consider money everything) and having come from where creation began, literature began, christianity began, Islam began, etc... I feel that Indrias Getachew and the Addis Tribune should take a higher look at Ethiopia and Haile Selassie and his accomplishments (he listed so few). How could he be crowned King of Kings, Conquering lion of Judah, Power of the Holy Trinity ? I don't think the church takes that so lightly to give someone that kind of recognition. You would throw that away for European and American approval? Frankly, I wouldn't care what an American NGO viewed in the homes and business of Addis. Certainly Empress Taytu wouldn't care nor Selassie himself what some outsider thinks about his house. Please have more dignity Ethiopia you are so much more than America and Europe in so many many ways. Speak more highly of your people i.e, your Emperors and Empresses, your biblical heritage, your sacred earth the whole world is watching. Thank you. Sarah Stevens (California, U.S.A.)

Look for the new VIRTUAL UNIA in 2001

In a reasoning earlier this week with Ras Charlie, grand-nephew of the Rt. Honrable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, he announced that he will be heading the revitalization of the VIRTUAL UNIA.  According to Ras Charlie, "The UNIA's position today amongst Black people internationally is nowhere near the mark as in the days of its beginning."  Ras Charlie also sees that the youth involvement and the Internet is a key to bring the organization to a plateau not even thought of by most.  When asked if he would work with the UNIA, he responded, "We have sent communication to my cousin (M.G., Jr.), but we have not received any response as yet, still this will not hamper our agenda."  He is also looking to see that with the building of the organization, it will also bring a unification to the trod of RastafarI.  "The Houses of RastafarI will be very much included in this process because in years before, many Rastas were excluded from UNIA entities for a fear of RastafarI becoming a leading figure within the UNIA."  The main focus of the UNIA in this new millienium is education, housing, and food for Africans at home in particular and Africans abroad in general, as well as building the strength of Black African people internationally.  "Repartriation is still a must and we are looking to spearhead with a speeding force that with only the guidance of the Almighty and the teachings of my Great Uncle that will create a history that will be recorded truthfully."

A Witness to the Miami Banquet Held with Mutabaruka sent by JahTerms

The 3rd annual Coronation Banquet which was the 70th Anniversary of the Coronation of Haile Sellassie I was on November 18, 2000. It was presented to I n I by the R.A.S.T.A. ( Righteous Apostles Serving The Almighty) organization. The key speaker this year was Ras Mutabaruka. Bredrins and Sistren arrived from different parts of Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, Royally dressed and eager to gather together in unity, which was the goal that night to obtain. It was good to see different Mansions of Rastafari coming together to share with each other Ital food (which was provided by Ras Bobby a resident vegetarian cook in Miami), music, provided by the justice band and local rastafari players and singers, reasonings, and dance. It was ILahfull to see black, white, yellow children of Jah coming to sit in and seek the reasoning which will help in the forwardness and future of Rastafari in this millennium. All was Iritically prepared and the night went on without mix ups or division. The surprise came to all when Ras Mutaburaka spoke to all of I n I concerning a revolution of thought within I n I community. I man personally fully agreed with Muta's reasoning, But some failed to grasp this controversial speaker's overstanding on the movement in the Iwah. I, personally being a man of research and knowledge, overstood the steps and path Muta had taken because I man had taken the same path in research. Mutaburuka had the kings and queens in awe. The Ras spoke of information is out there that I n I need not neglect because of it's topics. "Reality" was Muta's word that night. He spoke on His Majesty's life which many Rastafari do not dare speak. Such as His Majesty being a man that had sex, shot guns, and was truely a regular man in a purest form. Muta spoke on not turning to the bible for inspiration due to his colonical influence Also to dash away christianity and judaism and the bible mythologies and returning to I n I root which is Ethiopia- The Ethiopia that predated all world religions. He blazed fire on the foolishness which many so called races say they are living. The man was downstroying the foundations on all brain washing religions out there which have caused I n I to believe that jesus was god or that yahweh was the first god, even to the point that Haile Sellassie was god. Many Races were stunned at such accusations. But truth is truth and the information is out there to research on, He broke down words such as Alpha and Omega being greek words that only meant A-Z. he was at the root of truth speaking on human morality and burning out dogmas and doctrines. You see bredrin and sistren this is a new time. I n I can no longer be brainwashed with white lies by turning them black and saying it's all okay now, If a whiteman has a false white jesus what difference is the falseness if they called jesus black, the information is out there now. Research is the key to live pure and clean. I N I cannot just turn to the bible for salvation the bible is not a reliable source.Religions are not reliable sources. Why do I N I need liviticus when I N I have livity. The Ten Commandments were for an ignorant nation called Isreal. It needed a new God because the God of the Egyptians where not " good enough" for them. In truth Egypt had 300 more commandments than the God of Moses. You see INI cannot worry about doctrine now. His Majesty taught human morality The Negus gave InI all teachings just enough that InI don't need the Bible for false guidance. History, Science, psychology, etc. is InI true religion. Family, love, and the persistence to keep moving forward is Haile Selassie I's way. Money is to be made, Reality is the key I N I cannot walk around blind folded sinking deeper into I N I self distruction. Why have just ten commandments if I N I have the natural laws. Nature itself shows I N I how live eat, walk,run,love,create. Nature is the Most High with in and without I N I. Thou shall not kill is common sense. Ras Muta touched on topics that I Ras Terms have been meaning to bring forth but it had to be Muta to light the fire. their is so much light to be spread, and the revolution and evolution of thought is here.and rastafari sons and dawtas will be at the forefront of truth. Fear is the death sentence. Fear causes many to live blind. Dash away fear and truth will be revealed unto I N I that INI will become the living sons and dawtas of the most hight in its true essence. The iriticall hour is here. So as for the banquet. It was a step that I N I fore fathers who where charged with heresey where waiting for. It was the light that the star of hope gave to the slaves at night awaiting freedom. It is the revolution that shall bring truth and light many years from now. And rastafari will be the ones ,the ancients ones to bring down the walls of lies created around us daily, research the realities. Seek truth without fear. Dont waste your time on petty discussion. There is a matrix form out there misguiding us to our own destruction. Read,write,learn. The earth is telling INI something ,lets listen .Defend truth and immorality, not with guns but faith and knowledge, defend human morality regardless color race and creed. So I man end this controversial reasoning with the goldenkey. The true golden key called love. Nothing can conquer INI if fear is dashed away and love is everpresent. Its truly a time of knowledge and rastafari can obtain it. I pray to here Mutt speak again. But I man is saying these things also. INI are gnostic. keepers of esoteric knowledge handing it down until that day of peace. INI many not see it. But INI must be the seed of it. Hail Hail Sellassie. And may truth and reality initially flourish within I and I mind and irit. Eternal reasonings left to reach. Love knowledge, Love all.

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The RastafarI Collective: An Interactive Paper Made by InI The People, For InI The People. "...learning only stops at the grave." H.I.M EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I THE FIRST

Sunday, December 10, 2000 to Saturday, December 16, 2000 Volume 1, No. 3 WEEKLY EDITION

REPATRIATION IS A MUST!!!

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THIS WEEK'S FEATURE STORIES

How will InI children learn in the 21st century?

Time has moved on as it always has and InI as RastafarI Sons and Daughters are still in great danger in the West of having our children learning in a school which has great flaws, to say the least.  As we progress to build our New Irusalem schoolroom, we must focus on home schooling.   The government is still trying to pry into the comforts of our home, such as the Access program.  Many politicians are firmly against home schooling and are therefore trying to impose stiffer criteria.  Every state has different guidelines.  As it is stands now, a parent would have to meet 1 of 4 points: BA, certified teacher, religious exemption, or language arts and math curriculum must adhere to school standards.  ALL MUST BE PROVEN AND APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THAT DISTRICT.  So this proves that we are still answering to Babylon.  We have to prove ourselves to THEM in order for THEM to feel we are "competent" to teach our OWN children, as well as what we are teaching is not contrary to the school system, which is a part of the breeding of children with no future. How many of us as RastafarI meet their criteria?   In this time, we have the technology, such as the Internet.  This has to be stressed.  It is very important.  The Internet is a tool which can be used to InI advantage in home schooling our youths. InI do not want our children in Babylon's school system.  They will not teach InI children anything about Our ancestors as Black Kings and Queens, only Black slaves and mammies.  InI children must be well rounded.  They must learn the good and the bad the WORLD has to offer.  The youths will only be shunned, and pulled into the circle of Babylon.  Not to say that we do not want our children to socialize, but to socialize with righteous Irits. InI cannot shield our children from ALL wickedness, but once we put InI faith in King RastafarI and HE know that we are fighting for our own betterment, HAILE SELASSIE I THE FIRST will provide.  InI can teach our children the way we need and how we want.  They must know that Africa is home and Repatriation is a must and will be a reality in their time.  Everything must focus around this concept.  InI children can learn what ALL children learn, they will just learn it "RastafarI style." Let InI fight to keep our children out of the hands of Babylon.  Everyone may not have the ability to home school their youths, but do not put it out of our minds.  Some parents have even banned together and formed groups to rise the knowledge and potential for home schooling and have gotten positive results.  It is a very serious issue that should be thought of for the betterment of Black youths in general and RastafarI children in particular.   There are many websites which are dedicated to home schooling.  Just to name a few of the more informative ones: HSLDA.org  (Home School Legal Defense Association) HOMESCHOOLCENTRAL.com  (Find out the criteria for different states)

ETHIOPIA & ERITREA to sign peace treaty

December 12th is the day marked for the signing of the peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea.  The signing is to take place in Algeria with the hopes of putting an end to the cycle of violence.  Reactions on both side to the treaty has been sketchy with both claiming victory.  Many hope that it will not become like other peace treaties that are only worth the paper which it is written on.  Many Ethiopians will like to see the violence stopped so that the development of Ethiopia can continue.  For as an ancient country that has the divine ability and precedence of being the only country that has never been colonized, it needs to rise to the occasion of being that same premier state in the grand scheme of Africa.

Who is bringing in the "Ecstacy"?

The club drug Ecstacy which has been reeking havoc in middle-class, white suburbia (and if not careful, Blacks will be right behind), has now reached the top of the drug enforcement's agenda.  The main source of this drug is Europe. Places like Amsterdam and Holland produce most of the synthetic pills exported around the world.  The once legal drug has been widely used for some time, but now has reached to epidemic proportions.  A brief scenario of how one $25 pill affects a person is that it dehydrates the body and causes a "so-called high feeling".  The people who have died from using the pill have literally had their bodies overheat.  In one instance, an individual had an 104 degree body temperature AFTER being deceased for 4 hours.   Law enforcement wants to stop importation of Ecstasy, but they have to start cracking down on the drug factories and the mules who are carrying it.  The mules that are being widely used are young, Hasidic Jews from Israel and America.  They are being paid $1,500 per trip to smuggle in the pills, but are being told they are smuggling in diamonds (so they say).  The real tragedy to I, is that neither one is any better because the diamonds they THINK they are smuggling are coming from Black African countries that are killing each other for the resource, as well as bringing in a pill that adds to the destruction of humanity.  Personnel from customs say that it is hard to catch the Hasidic Jews that are smuggling because they do not PROFILE them or the countries they are leaving as drug dens as they do with the people of the West Indies, South and Central America.  Hypocrisy at its best!

Nicaraguan workers fight for an $.08 raise

Nicaraguan sweatshop workers attempted to strike for an additional 8 cents per pair of jeans manufactured on top of the present 20 cents being paid.  Workers were advise and threatened to end their protest or face severe consequences, such as stiff prison sentences.   After these jeans are made, they are sold globally for at least $20 per pair.  The biggest buyers of the denim jeans is the US Military, their families and Wal-Mart, just to name a few.  Most of these large businesses are pressuring the Nicaraguan government to put a stop to the  uprisings as well as playing the political game of accusing the Nicaraguan government of having the people in such disastrous working conditions.  The protest caused the Army Airforce Exchange Service to answer for these accusations and they claimed there is no proof that there are sweatshops in the country.

Mutabaruka to continue Hotly debated reasoning

After the highly debated reasoning  that was kept in Florida, there are reports that there will be a question and answer reasoning held in January.  It seems that many have had time to sit and meditate on what has been brought to the table.  Now it will be the chance for the listening audience to get clarifications on some of the radical or revolutionary statements that were made.  Again, we hope to bring you more information.

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The RastafarI Collective: An Interactive Paper Made by InI The People, For InI The People. "...learning only stops at the grave." H.I.M EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I THE FIRST

Sunday, December 17, 2000 to Saturday, December 23, 2000 Volume 1, No. 4 WEEKLY EDITION

REPATRIATION IS A MUST!!!

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THIS WEEK'S FEATURE STORIES

FBI Agents hold silent protest

Earlier this week, FBI agents held a silent protest to fight against the considering of a pardon for the revolutionary Leonard Peltier.  This Native Indian fighter was tried and imprisoned for the killing of two FBI agents in the Wounded Knee uprising.  He is currently serving a double life sentence in a super maximum prison.  Peltier stands as one of many revolutionaries that is in prison for defending their natural birthright and is watching the Federal Agencies do their hardest to keep them in prison.  As all is well aware, Mumia Abu-Jamal is getting the same protest from police officers nationwide to also keep him serving a prison sentence for a crime he has not committed.  While both are waiting to see justice truly served, they are standing strong in prison giving guidance to the revolutionaries in the streets saying, they can imprison our flesh, yet they cannot stop our hearts from fighting.  INI say set the captives free!

Israelis say, "It is war not a crisis!" in the Middle East

At a conference held in Washington, DC, Shlomo Avineri, Foreign Ministry and Former Director General, set the agenda he believes Israel should follow against the Palestinians from the fighting that has started in the past three months.  Shlomo states that Israel should forget about peace and seek to see that the Palestinians state be recognized and have self-determination.  Still he is not saying this out of the goodness of his heart, but he is saying it in the premise that when Palestine is able to have self-determination, it will have to be responsible for its own maintenance rather than having the Jewish people still be recognized as colonialists and occupiers.  For those who have a knowledge of history, he is basically looking at it as how emancipation came for the Blacks.  Set them free to nothing and then blame them for their own condition.  Shlomo says Israel will cut all ties and have nothing to do with the Palestinians at all and have them as hostile neighbors.  He knows that Palestine will always be hard pressed to accept them, for in Palestinian textbooks, there is no Jewish state.  With the International community voicing their disapproval of the strong arm tactics of the Israelis as well as the Arab nations becoming weary of their agreements with Israel, it puts them in a tight predicament.  Still while this goes on, Palestinians  and Israelis are dying day after day and there seems to be no end in sight, just war.

The Crusades plotting for Africa in the New Millineum

In November, in Lagos, Nigeria, 1 million Black Africans attended the Reinhard Bonnke Crusade.   Reinhard, a north German native, claims to be bringing the word for "If we forget Africa, we would be rejecting the Bible."  He claims "It is resurrection Spring time and they do not need to understand, just accept."  He also sees that "As Nigeria goes, so does the rest of Africa in the harvest" because he sees Nigeria as the doorway to Africa in the new millineum.  Reinhard is now raising money with the help of Benny Hinn to continue their crusade through Africa.  Is this the plot to keep the people servant to a white God who has not done anything but destroy Africa?  Are the people of Africa still seeking a white God to come in and bring them salvation?  When will the people ever learn?  InI don't want or need that old time religion.

Fight to keep local liquor store open

In Alberta, Virgina, the local state owned liquor store is being closed down and causing a "not shaken, but stir" in the community.  The town is complaining that it will lose $746,000 in sales per year.  Also, they know the locals will be making their special brew to keep the good times rolling.  Therefore, Alberta needs to hire extra police officers to keep control of the situation.  The state of Virginia is not only known for Lovers, it is a state which owns and runs its own liquor stores, houses the largest cigarette company and has its share of churches, as it is located on the Bible Beltway.  In 1999, of the 877 persons killed in Virginia motor vehicle crashes, 364 or 41.5 percent were killed in alcohol-related crashes.   Not to mention the countless lives of families that have been destroyed by this legal drug that will be provided to you by the state.  Democracy at its best.

THE LAW USED TO WEAR CLEAN CLOTHES sent by Ras Jahaziel http://members.aol.com/ jahpaint/index1.html

THE LAW USED TO WEAR CLEAN CLOTHES and everyone used to be fooled by her appearance of sanctity. Once upon a time in the land of red, white and blue, the LAW used to wear clean clothes and everybody believed that she dwelt in a hallowed place on high, way above the imperfections of men. The people all agreed that she should have the last word on every matter by dint of her assumed spotless character, and so they all consented to uphold THE LAW and be governed by her dictates. Children heard their parents speak of her in hushed and reverent terms: "Child, you must learn to respect the Law, she is always right." They were taught that they should never argue with THE LAW, but obey her without question and respect those who wear her sacred garments.  Never mind she legalized slavery, enforced segregation and apartheid and fried many innocent people in the electric chair. There used to be some people in the streets of oppression however, who never seemed to be very impressed by the clean clothes of THE LAW, and they were considered by the rest of society to be worthy of every form of punishment for the sake of preserving the myth of "the sanctity of THE LAW" No one disagreed that respect for the Law had to be preserved at all costs, even if it took investing billions of dollars into building more prisons to house the recalcitrant. These recalcitrants were not usually from the very educated class, and their resentment of the Law was not often clearly articulated in their minds. They just acted at the behest of some form of primitive instinct which told them that their poverty and oppressed situation was due to some form of injustice which was always protected and enforced by the uniforms of THE LAW. On the other hand, in much the same way as how the rebellious identified the uniform as a visible representation of their oppression, those that were identified as "the establishment" had a certain view of the potential law-breaker as one belonging to certain neighborhoods and having certain racial characteristics. Not having the economic means to prove their innocence or to cover themselves with a cloak of respectability and immunity, these unfortunates often became the targets of armed campaigns to establish the rule of Law in the habitation of the wayward. Sometimes these campaigns and holy wars even stretched out over the sea to distant lands in an effort to establish the democratic process and the rule of law. If such natives of distant lands were found wavering in their commitment to the democratic process, they could find themselves strangled and ostracized from participation in the bounteous fruits of democracy. There they would languish in famine until they learned the lesson that THE LAW MUST BE OBEYED and the democratic process be respected, or the big house will stretch out its mighty arm and punch you in the belly where it really hurts. Who would have thought that one day THE LAW would be judged and found wanting ? But as the old saying goes, day will run until night catches it. Without warning the night of judgment did come, and when it finally came, it came with a great and tumultuous shaking. It pulled off the covering of respectability which had for so long tightly cloaked THE LAW, and the thing which was seen underneath was grievously shocking to a great multitude. Out it rolled from beneath the covering of respectability, a big FOR SALE sign with smaller letters at the bottom saying "TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER."

PRESIDENT OF ETHIOPIAN CROWN COUNCIL SPEAKS ON FAMINE sent by Jah Paint

May 18, 2000 Sharing the Humanity of Ethiopia’s Drought and Ethiopia’s Potential A speech to HOPE and the Society for International Development By His Imperial Highness Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen: I would like to thank HOPE and the Society for International Development for the privilege of speaking to you today. As much as it is a pleasure for me to be here in your company tonight, we are not here for happy reasons. I must tell you that no Ethiopian can talk about the famine in our country without feeling pain in his heart. To die of hunger is the worst type of death. Words fail us when we try to describe what it means to starve: the awareness of what is happening, the fear, the sorrow and desperation. We must put ourselves in that person's place; we must imagine being a mother or father watching our children suffer and die, one by one. Why should this horror facing us even be conceivable today? Scientific and economic experts tell us that the world already has enough food to feed its entire population, and that the problem is essentially one of distribution. The causes of local and regional underproduction are also well known: drought, poor planning and policy, an inadequate infrastructure, and so on. The key elements of the solution at the national level are also well known: peace, credit, good transportation, good policies... So, we have the necessary knowledge. We have the resources. Yet, people are still dying by the hundreds of thousands. This gap between our abilities and the actual results on the ground represent an immense moral and practical failure. We must therefore re-examine all elements of the problem, and do so openly, visibly, for the whole world to see. Only by speaking out in this way will we be able to make a real impact on the political will of non-Ethiopians who have the power to help us move forward. In democracies, political will is a function of public opinion. In closed societies, it emanates from the top. In both cases, political will responds to emotional factors. We can understand this when we consider the relationship between suffering and distance. Finding a child crying on our doorsteps, most of us would care deeply for its future. When we move that child further and further away — out of the city, out of the country — his pain becomes less and less real. He becomes less and less human. And this inability to see the shared humanity in people who are far away, and who may appear different in some way or another, is one of the most difficult problems in the world today. A child starving in Gode, in Ethiopia’s South Wollo region, or anywhere else in the world, affects us as much as if it had happened, God forbid, in our own homes. The torment and anguish of the fathers and mothers in Gode affect us as badly as if they were our own beloved parents. Certainly, I do not wish to appear ungrateful to the thousands and thousands of dedicated friends in the West who have sacrificed so much of their time, energy, and material resources to help Ethiopia in its time of need. To accomplish even more, we must change the way people think about poverty everywhere in the world. The global media has helped to shrink the entire world community. But there is also a real danger that the constant images of the hungry lead to fatigue, to an erosion of our compassion. All who want to help Ethiopia in this time of crisis must learn to use our information economy to make the pain of the poor more real to an information-saturated public. And I am not saying that we should blame the advances of the west for Ethiopia’s shortcomings. Our own ethnic divisions and unproductive rivalries are more deadly a factor than compassion fatigue in the industrialized world. The divisions with our Ethiopian community lead to inefficiency, to unfair distribution of scarce resources, and to war. Short-term solutions to this problem must include a dose of badly needed straight talk. We all know that development cannot take place when war prevails. As importantly, Ethiopians must develop a healthy and efficient political and civic culture. I do not want to make any political accusations with this point. Every Ethiopian government, including that of my own family, has struggled and ultimately come up short when faced with the challenge of famine. But in the final analysis, the drive and determination necessary to defeat hunger must exist not only at the highest reaches of the government, but throughout the country as well. We must teach effective management more widely. We must also tailor that process to specific local conditions. Efficient political mobilization is also a key, both at home and among the diaspora communities abroad. In the Washington DC area alone Ethiopians are reported to be no less than 250,000 in number. We — Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia — must never see pictures of our children dying in Gode without lobbying our congressmen and raising funds through our different foundations and corporations to help. In the past year, we have seen painful evidence that drought, famine, and AIDS are national security risks, and therefore require our undivided attention and swift, decisive action. We must make this argument not only to our fellow Ethiopians, but to America, and the entire world community. Medium-range solutions to the problem of hunger must include steps to transform the peoples of the Horn from beggars into producers, from aid-addicts to contributors to the world economy. We must ask what Ethiopia can do for the world, and what it has to offer in equitable exchange. We must encourage the growth and export of Ethiopia's unique arts and crafts. We must increase the world's awareness of Ethiopia as a tourist gem and an historical and cultural site without rival in Africa. It is also important to remember that before this latest crisis, Ethiopia was a significant exporter of fruits and vegetables to its neighbors, at a healthy and growing rate. But over 90% of that trade remained in the hands of state-run businesses, where the average Ethiopian could reap no benefit from the growth. Ethiopia's water resources are more plentiful than we can imagine: thousands of years of civilization have risen from our mighty rivers. Why should one child die of thirst or drought-related famine? Why have we been unable to bring about water security? How can we bring about an end to drought and famine in cooperation with our neighbors? Some of the answers are all too obvious: we lack roads, bridges, railroad lines, telephone lines. We lack adequate ports, quality irrigation, the necessary storage facilities. These are the physical tools that build a modern community. Without them, people live in isolation. Neighbors remain unknown, and the unknown is feared, and hated. We also need to develop better low-tech means of powering the personal computer to bring the technological revolution to more of Ethiopia's people. Creative deployment of solar power and wind power in a marriage with the PC can bring the information super-highway to remote areas that currently lack affordable electricity. The rapid development of Ethiopia's infrastructure is thus essential not only as an immediate means of delivering food aid, but as a catalyst for ending the social and political conditions that contribute to famine over the long term. In the first week of May this year, the rains began again in southeast Ethiopia. It is a grim irony that this long-needed blessing of rain brought another level of complication to the worsening disaster. Red Cross representatives report that rains hindered the food deliveries, a sad fact that highlights the need for attention to Ethiopia’s underdeveloped infrastructure. Food aid coming through Djibouti has piled up in a bottle-neck, the port facilities unable to handle the sheer amount of traffic necessary to make a real difference. The World Food Program launched a proposal on this subject last year; we must see it through to fruition. Our long-term struggle must be to build the political conditions necessary to consolidate the short-term and medium-range accomplishments. Ultimately, only one thing is going to stop the cycle of division, violence, famine and underdevelopment: the Ethiopian family must unite in common cause. We must renew our over-arching identity as Ethiopians. Many generations have kept this dream alive. We must struggle to make it a reality. This requires urging the world community to speak out strongly against the ethno-regionalist policies that divide Ethiopia. But we must not be hasty, or impatient: we have to take time to build a strong civil society in Ethiopia, with active and energetic political parties organized around a new generation of leaders. We must take time to teach Ethiopia's children to shun the politics of violence and embrace the politics of open debate. Only then will we have a peaceful and truly democratic transition of power in our home country. Ethiopia must take a lead in regional leadership as well. The people of the Horn are one family, and Ethiopia's future prosperity depends upon repairing these ties. The Government in Addis refused to accept food aid through the port of Assab, which has for some years been under the effective control of Eritrea. Repairing relations with Eritrea and restoring the full flow of free trade through Assab is a necessity. It is unfortunate that it has taken a war with Eritrea to bring closer relations between Ethiopia and Djibouti. The two countries have reached agreements on a number of trade and development projects. We must work to make this relationship even closer. In this latest disaster, aid agencies have unloaded relief supplies at the Somaliland port of Berbera. This port saw significant Ethiopian food export in brighter days, and can play a central role in building a prosperous future for the entire region. But where the international community acknowledges no government, as is the case with regard to Somalia, then that community can make no progress. Pragmatic diplomacy in places like Somaliland can improve Ethiopia's long-term prospects for peace and prosperity; the alternative is to further condemn our people to the pointless expense of proxy wars, and the delays of unreliable relief routes. We must also anchor scientific and political accomplishments to our spiritual and cultural values. In my work, I encounter Ethiopians who are in awe of the institution of the monarchy. They have all heard the historical tales which form a living link between our identity and our past. We must never forget the aspects of our culture that make us who we are. We each bear on our shoulders the proud legacy of centuries of sacrifice. In this way, our deeds and valor, our energy and accomplishments will crown Ethiopia more than any single monarch ever could. Fifteen years ago, the world was moved by pictures of our starving mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, all members of the same Ethiopian family. We overcame those challenges with the help of our friends in the world community, and we resolved in our hearts that such disaster would never happen again during our lifetime. Yet today we are facing the same demons of drought-borne famine, and now epidemic levels of AIDS and other disasters as well. We have to show both the world and our community back home that we unite when our Ethiopian family is at risk. As all of our speakers today have made clear, there are crucial tasks which require our effort, and there are individuals and institutions already hard at work. Now, we need the rest of us to become similarly engaged. We need to be good followers, as well as good leaders, helping to support those who have already taken the initiative, and working also to mobilize those who are not yet active. Our youth deserve recognition and the opportunity for leadership: let us give them the reins, and urge our community to back their constructive work. And every Ethiopian must understand our commitment to this task. We must be the ones that make a difference in their lives. The faces they see, the names they read must be ours. They must know we are at the forefront to relieve their suffering. All of us must commit, all of us must assemble, and all of us must deliver without letting others divide our attention. Permit me to ask that everyone here tonight keep Ethiopia in his and her prayers. The condition of the poor will only improve when nations, like people, learn to love one another, when we see the suffering of our brothers and sisters as our own, and when we hear that suffering as a call to stronger action. Our forefathers never shrank from making sacrifices, including that ultimate sacrifice of precious life, to pass on to us what we must preserve at all costs. How else are we to face the waiting generations when they ask of us, "What have you done with the mantle of Emperor Menelik and Empress Taytu?" We can answer today with a vision, a dream of a time when failure of the Meher or Belg rains will not bring disaster, but only a mere annoyance. A time when the waters of the Awash collect in a man-made lake in Gode, and the electricity generated by a dam on the Awash lights homes not just in Gode but in Somalia and Djibouti in Afar Land, and across the Red Sea in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. We must share a collective dream: to see our children playing as the waters of Abay run generators powerful enough to send electricity to Kenya and Uganda. To see a time when those waters are used in Tigré, Wollo, and Shoa, where farmers in Afar Land can plant corn when they want to instead of at the mercy of the whims of weather. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a crucial time of change. All of us are here today because we reject fatalism, and refuse to give in to exhaustion. Nature can be against us at times, but that never means that we lack the tools with which to fight. Our future is uncertain, but it is never out of our control: Ethiopia and every individual Ethiopian can rise up and shape the future, to be sure that what happens today will never happen again. We will learn lessons from the failures in our past, but we will never surrender to the weight of those failures. The tired television images of hunger in Ethiopia will be a thing of the past, banished forever by our hard work in the years to come. Thank you.

AN EARLIER STATEMENT ON FAMINE BY THE CROWN COUNCIL OF ETHIOPIA

A Legacy of Disaster? A Statement on Famine by the President of the Crown Council The Editorial by HIH Prince Ermias Sahle-Selassie Haile-Selassie, President of the Crown Council of Ethiopia, for the July 31, 1999, edition of Negarit, the Crown newspaper. The statement was issued on June 29, 1999. Famine, drought and ongoing poverty remain undiscussed, and apparently secondary issues when states are at war over such national and emotional issues of sovereignty and territorial integrity. Ethiopia, which has the highest rates of malnutrition in Africa, is yet again facing another famine with little publicity. Food insecurity, even at the best of times, is one of the most visible manifestations of poverty in Ethiopia. In a nation, which relies on subsistence farming and varying climatic factors, the problem is further compounded by inadequate focus on land protection, afforestation, water conservation, the development of human resources, a coherent policy on land reform and management and an exceptionally high birth rate. The current war in Ethiopia seems on the surface to have had little impact on the economy, but over the short-term the conflict could have disasterous implications for the country as development aid becomes curtailed and the nation’s meagre resources become diverted to defense expenditures. It was the lack of attention given to the famine which, in 1974, brought down the Imperial Government. Ethiopia became synonymous in the early 1980s with famine, as many more Ethiopians died from both manmade and natural disaster. What does our fate hold today and into the next century? Ethiopians who live abroad as well as at home have a huge responsibility as citizens to ponder this shadow of death which afflicts millions of our countrymen too frequently. A problem of this magnitude cannot be tackled in a vacuum. The absence of peace and normalcy is a fundamental prerequisite. The fragility of our region is also an added insecurity, as we will be forced to live in the shadows of more wars to follow. How long are we going to be dependent on foreign donations to sustain our existence? We must measure what our sovereignty entails. If we are at others’ mercies for our survival then how are we truly free? The Ethiopian administration must be held accountable for its decisions and must be pressured to address this life and death issue expeditiously. We Ethiopians have once more failed in the promise of feeding our people. We have the potential to be net exporters of food, yet millions of our people are vulnerable to the scrouge of famine. We continue to lose so many of our educated citizenary in whom the poor masses invested, and our young men and women are dying daily in the battlefields and through the silent war of poverty and disease. We as citizens need to do our part by pressuring decisionmakers in Ethiopia to seek meaningful solutions to problems which have long-term consequences. We must also do our part today by turning to our communities, our churches and civic institutions to do our part in helping feed our people. We must educate our friends, our communities, policymakers and the international community that Ethiopia holds a greater promise than the continuous indignity of constantly being on the verge of death. We must pull together as human beings and each contribute according to our individual capacities. Let us become part of the solution by better understanding and confronting this problem which is haunting us periodically. Governments come and go but let us not make famine a permanent feature to our evolution. Let us seek ways to implement sustainable development through peaceful accommodation and co-existence. Perhaps by uniting to confront the present famine, we will strengthen our unity to fight together for more durable solutions. Let us make a commitment now rather than be overcome by inaction and guilt once the problem becomes overwhelming. We all sympathized with the human suffering in Kosovo, and now the international community must be made aware that hunger is once again looming in our country and that we are prepared to do our part!

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The RastafarI Collective: An Interactive Paper Made by InI The People, For InI The People. "...learning only stops at the grave." H.I.M EMPEROR HAILE SELASSIE I THE FIRST

Sunday, December 24, 2000 to Saturday, December 30, 2000 Volume 1, No. 5 WEEKLY EDITION

REPATRIATION IS A MUST!!!

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THIS WEEK'S FEATURE STORIES

Obelisk to be returned!

With the mounting pressures being built from organizations and the Ethiopian government, the obelisk which was stolen from Ethiopia by the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, is soon to be returned to its rightful owners, the people of Ethiopia.   It has been reported that an agreement to have it returned in the coming weeks has been established.  An approximate date has not yet been set.  According to the Italian government, they would like to see it returned so relations with the ancient country can be established.  Still, the fight is not yet over until the obelisk is placed on the solid earth of Ethiopia from which it was removed.

Bush puts Blacks in two top war positions

Well as all is well aware, after the debacle of an election the reigning champion is now George W. Bush.  He is been appointing to his governmental cabinet, many of the old guard whom worked for his father, President Bush, Sr.  The position of Secretary of State was appointed to Colin Powell and the position of National Security Adviser was appointed to Condoleezza Rice. These are the first Blacks to be appointed to such high positions.   Many see this as an opportunity for Blacks to get ahead, but it has to be looked at  objectively.  The positions which they are holding are very powerful.  They are positions that can make peace or bring war internationally and nationally.  So we will now know that it will be Blacks who will bring war to the Blacks in Africa and around the world.  Colin Powell is famous for his tactics in the Gulf War.  He has a stance that when an agreement cannot be made, one will be forced upon you.  For National Security, we will now have a Black woman that in case marshall law is called upon the people for revolting, it will not be called racial.   Please do not mistake our stressing their Blackness out of folly, but we must remember that these ARE intelligent Black people working for the government that will only bring problems to people that they claim to serve, the poor and have-not of all colors.  The critics will have a field day when any action is taken by one of these persons and scrutinize it with a level unseen of or unheard of.   The final step is that it is a slap to the Democratic party, for it took a Republican, especially Bush, the family of the New World Order, to place Blacks in such high positions.  These are the same people who didn't want Blacks to vote.  Be wise, they are setting the people up for a heavy downfall.

Recession or Depression in the 21st Century?

As the stock market steadily spirals downward, there is great alarm in the financial community.  Even the "commercialized" Christmas season has been a great disappointment to retailers.  The great economy with surpluses has become a fleeting illusion.  Many people have been laid off, fired or have been pushed into early retirement, even before the 21st Century has officially started.  This is also affecting the international markets.  Though a bad economy was warned, the politicians still sold the people the idea that the prosperity would continue.   How will they make this possible?  Will they look to history and create war to build up the economy?  This has been the path for most greedy governments when the pressure is mounted by the people, for there are some that are living at their greatest levels ever.  Still, how will they handle it when they have to return to the congregation of the poor and have-not, who will not be affected because the poor cannot get poorer.  With a new presidency, it is a rough way to start, but with the best warmongers in the government, they will make the best of it.

"Boyfriend set" causes uproar

The "boyfriend set" is a bikini set marketed to teens being offered through The Gap stores.  Complaints were made by some concerned parents that the concept of selling teens these half suits for their boyfriends is a terrible message to send.  The message that a 14 year old can wear this for their boyfriend goes against many beliefs.  Still, the beliefs seem to be very shaky because it would have been alright if they were wearing it, but not for their boyfriend.  How strange?   Also, as an extra the Gap sells clothes which are usually seen as universal being that there is only a separate store for babies.  So, it may make you wonder if the "boyfriend set" was only targeted to young females?

French official implicated in arms sales in Angola

The son of the French President was arrested for the sale of arms in the African country of Angola.  It is said that he used his ties and public pull to trade arms for oil.  He dealt with many of the corrupted leaders and even associated with the Hutu leaders that carried out the onslaught of the Tutsis in Rwanda.  The son is so famous for his dealings with some of these African leaders that they gave him a name with meant, "Daddy says". It is not said how far the case will go, but anyone with common sense knows that a high governmental official will not be convicted for using his authority to keep Africans fighting Africans, as well as we scorn the careless Africans to keep allowing such people to manipulate them into fighting each other for selfish gain.

Luxury homes go up in smoke!

In Colorado, there is a great fight brewing over urban sprawl.  Eight luxury houses have been burned to the ground in three years.  All of the homes were half finished when they were set ablaze.  One group claimed responsibility for one of the fires telling officials, "If they build them, we'll burn them!"  It is causing great heartache to the builders, the owners, the insurers and the banks.  They have yet to arrest anyone and they have yet to complete a building of a new luxury home.

RastafarI children have the Key to the 21st Century

There has been much conversation amongst RastafarI about the directions to take in the new millineum.  It has been sighted by many RastafarI reggae artists that the children have prevailed and need to solidify its position within the world community.  As more and more RastafarI see the power of the technology being used, they are realizing the potential of establishing a self sufficient path that can be made possible with greater speed and efficiency. As many artists have fought against computers in their lyrics, they are now accepting the Internet, for their sales and publicity have sky rocketed.  The only problem is the artists do not own and control their talent, so they are still victims of a reggae industry that is not owned by InI.  The number of RastafarI websites continue to grow and are a great influence.  Organizations as well have seen greater recognition and correspondence via the Internet.  Still, there is a call for Inity that the voice of the people will still remain as the one voice of the Almighty.   There is a majority that still have great reservations about this path being taken.  So then the question is posed that those who are quick to criticize, what do they see as a direction to forward into?  The normal answer of "RastafarI way" is a quick answer but not complete, for RastafarI showed us many ways to fight this battle in the Armageddon by using our ancient culture in modern time.  Yet, education will be a key ingredient, for ignorant people will never try to better themselves and this will not be tolerated or accepted by the RastafarI youths of today.   The RastafarI organizations that claim to be for the interest of InI the people will be held to a higher standard and will be held accountable for their actions.  For it is now easier than ever for a person to learn about RastafarI and our way of life.  So the loyalty to one group over the other slowly dies and the people who follow such division will perish also.   Repatriation becomes more of a reality now since the time of Marcus Garvey because many have been able to communicate with their brothers and sisters at home in Africa.  With such great potential and a livity that Babylon could never understand, much less stop, InI will have no excuse for why we should not and will not prosper in the coming Iwahs.   The Empresses of the trod are a tremendous force in this time as in the past and are motivating to see the youths and the family structure survive such terrible annihilation.  The holding down of the Empresses will not be tolerated, much less accepted by the RastafarI youths of today.  For a true RastafarI will know that the Lioness captures the food and feeds the youths while the Lion guards and maintains the status as the King of the Jungle.  NO KING CAN RULE WITHOUT A QUEEN!  The ignorances that man can spread their seed as they see fit and not maintain the fruits that come from it, are the destructive forces that must be uprooted from the trod.  No longer will the RastafarI youths of today accept that old slave mentality when the white man found the biggest Black bull he had and sent him to various plantations to impregnate the beautiful Black cow to give the white man new calf. RastafarI people will have pluses and minuses as all humans do, but InI who claim to KNOW THE EARTH'S RIGHTFUL RULER are obligated to do better and to represent the word that we consistently have preached to humanity in the beginning as in the seal.  To neglect our duties as such, is the equivalent of treason.  As the Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey has stated, "Government should be absolute and the head should be thoroughly responsible for himself and the acts of his subordinates....he should be the sole of honor and when he is legally or properly found to the contrary, he should be publicly disgraced and put to death as an outcast and an unworthy representative of the righteous will of the people."   Haile Selassie I the First has created the standard.  Will InI the children uphold it or face the consequence?

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