Can somebody enlighten us Freepers a little about Ethiopia? I thought all the people there were starving because of the repressive government. But now they are Christian warriors? What's the deal?
"Can somebody enlighten us FReepers a little about Ethiopia?"
Forty + years ago, a friend of ours had lined up an agreement to grow cotton in the newly developing Awash River Valley. My husband and I were to go there, set up and run a model cotton plantation, provided he could get the New York financing. I immediately began studying. The financing was refused, but as I result, I now know more about Ethiopia and cotton than I will ever be able to use. I hereby contribute some memories which admitedly may be a little rusty, especially as to spellings.
Ethiopia, possibly the home of the biblical Queen of Sheba, became an early convert to Christianity (Coptic variety). In the conflicts between the early church leaders, Constantinople vs. Alexandria, a number of the loosers went to Ethiopia were they established churches and monestaries. See Axum, Lalibella, Gondar. The Portugues "discovered" Ethiopia in the 16th Century. The Italian fascists conquered Ethiopia at the inception of World War II. The Ethiopians fought hard and bravely. I think there was some attempt by the League of Nations to help. Unsuccessfully.
Much of Ethiopia is an upland plateau, with a temporate climate. The Amharic speaking hamitic population has been the rulers. Their Emperor Haile Salasie in the capital Addis Ababa was overthrown by Communists in the early '70s. The Communists were overthrown around the time the Soviet Union slit up. There are three major separate ethnic groups. To the north by Eritria is an Islamic (semitic ?) component. To the west near the Sudan is an African (bantu?) component, and to the south in the disputed Ogaden is a Somali related component.
The land where there is sufficent rainfall is densely overpopulated, ergo periodic famine. There are two periods of rainfall, one of which is called the Small Rains. If either of these fail crop failure is a major danger. Sexual attitudes cause disease to be a significant health problem. Then of course there are all the diseases of poor water supply and malnutrition. In the lowlands are the diseases of tropical and desert Africa.
Once the Communists were out we supported the subsequent government, presumably with military inputs, although I have no specific information. They fought a war or two with the Islamic Eritrians, where the Eritrians finally succeeded. The port of Djibouti was their main outlet to the sea, and it would not surprise me if they want to get it back or at least form a firm alliance that opens it up to easy commerce. Hope this info helps.