Tag: dam

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Finian Cunningham, Selam Gebremeskel, Selam Randall December 24th, 2020

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Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s home edition, recorded on this date, December 15th, 2020.

Last month, the federal government of Ethiopia attacked the newly elected provincial government in the country’s northern Tigray region. Acting prime minister, Abiy Ahmed said the reason for the military action was in response to a raid on a federal army base within Tigray by the regional government as part of its plan to secede. But there’s much more going on behind the scenes than what’s reported by Abiy; and much more behind his rise to power too.

Finian Cunningham is a long-time and prolific journalist who worked as an editor and writer for major U.K. media outlets The Mirror, Irish Times, and Independent. The two-time Serena Shim Award for Uncompromising Integrity in Journalism recipient’s articles on international affairs appear at numerous online outlets, including RT, where I found his article, ‘Nobel-winning Ethiopian PM has overseen country’s descent into barbarity and madness‘ written as the conflict was beginning in early November.

Finian Cunningham in the first half.

And; though the desperate situation for Ethiopia’s Tigrayan population worsens, their story has largely disappeared from Western media reports. The Abiy government has tried to stem the flow of refugees into neighbouring Sudan, even as it renews its promise to settle militarily differences outside observors say could make the country “the Libya of East Africa”.

Selamawit Gebremeskel and Selam Randall are Ethiopian emigres. Both are long-time Canadian citizens who now call Victoria home.

Selam Gebremeskel and Selam Randall anxiously watching developments in Ethiopia from afar in the second half.

But first, Finian Cunningham and Abiy Ahmed ushering chaos in Ethiopia.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Ken Boon, Yves Engler, Janine Bandcroft September 5th, 2019

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Last week, prime minister Justin Trudeau met in Surrey with BC premier, John Horgan to announce a joint effort that will increase BC Hydro’s contribution to fracked gas production.

The former provincial government bet big on the future of hydrocarbons, (as has Trudeau’s Liberals) and the NDP has picked right up where Christie Clark’s BCLiberals left off.

The announcement came on the very day West Moberly First Nations Chief, Roland Willson vowed the contentious Site C Dam project would not receive their support saying,

“Stopping this dam has always been the right thing to do. It would have taken some courage and some leadership, but it could have saved British Columbia billions of dollars and produced a clear example of reconciliation with First Nations. …“.

And, the West Moberly are not alone in their opposition to the mega-dam.

Ken Boon is a Peace Valley farmer and president of the Peace Valley Landowners Association. Ken and his family have lived at the heart of the resistance to the Site C dam project from the beginning and it’s a fight that’s cost he and his dearly.

Ken Boon in the first half.

And; Tuesday, August 27th 2019 members of Canada’s national police force paid a surprise visit to a citizen’s house hoping to catch him at home. It was not a criminal matter, the subject had broken no law; so what warranted such attention?

Montreal-based author, journalist, and social justice activist, Yves Engler is well known to authorities. He’s made no secret of his effort to make our political leaders accountable to both the laws of this country and international statutes Canada is a party to. But, with almost four years of bad faith governing behind it, and an expected Autumn election looming ahead, it seems the government would prefer not to hear from critics like Monsieur Engler.

Yves Engler and using the RCMP to silence political criticism in the second half.

And; Victoria-based activist and long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s good going on in and around our town in the coming week.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca.  He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/